summary of floods in the united states during 1957 · summary of floods in the united states during...

Summary of Floods in the United States During 1957Prepared under the direction of E. L. HENDRICKS, Chief, Surface Water Branch

FLOODS OF 1957

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 1652-C

Prepared in cooperation with Federal, State, and local agencies

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1963

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

STEWART L. UDALL, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Thomas B. Nolan, Director

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402

CONTENTS

Page

Abstract---------_-__----__--__-__---__-----_____--__-_-_-__---__- ClIntroduction, _____________________________________________________ 1Determination of flood stages and discharges. _________________________ 3Explanation of data________________________________________________ 4Summary of floods -in 1957_ _ ______________________________________ 4

Floods of January 29-February 6 in southeastern Kentucky andadjacent areas______________________________________________ 4

Floods of February in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho___-__------_ 12Floods of April-June in Texas and adjacent States-----_-__----_-_- 18Floods of April-June in Oklahoma and western Arkansas ___________ 24

Storms of April__________________________________________ 25Storms of .May _ _ __________________________________________ 25Storms of June____________________________________________ 27The floods.---_---_-_______--________-____------_-___-_--- 27

Arkansas River tributary basins in eastern Oklahoma andwestern Arkansas.-______________-__--__-_______--__- 36

Cimarron, Canadian, and mainstem Arkansas River basins. 37Red River basin_______-_-__--__-____-__-_----___--_--- 38

Records of previous floods___--__--__________---__--_---_-_- 39Frequency of peak discharges_____-__-----_-_-_________-_-_- 41

Floods of May 9 near Denver, Colo______________________________ 43Floods of May 16-17 in Kansas_--_----_------_----_--------_-_- 44Floods of May 17,21-23 in southeastern Missouri____-__-___-____- 46Floods of May and June in Idaho__________--______--___--_-_-__ 48Floods of June 5-7 on Greybull River, Wyo_________-_-_---_-___- 51Floods of June 9 at Perry, Fla._. _______________________________ 52Floods of June 14-17 in Illinois and Missouri_________.____---___- 55Floods of June 16 on Bazile Creek, Nebr___________-__-____---_- 57Floods of June 16-18 in Kansas River basin, Kansas and Nebraska.- 58Floods of June 16-21 in southeastern South Dakota-__-___-___-__ 60Snowmelt floods of June and July in western Colorado _____________ 63Floods of June-July in Indiana and Illinois___________--___-___--- 65Floods of July 1 in the vicinity of Coffeeville, Miss ________________ 69Floods of July 12-13 in northern Illinois-. ________-____-____-_--- 72Floods of July 26, 30 on Cherry Creek and July 30 on Kiowa Creek,

Colo.______________________________________________________ 76Floods of August 3-4 in central New York__--___----------------- 77Floods of August 13-14 in north-central Arkansas______-_____-_--- 79Floods of August 24 in vicinity of Santa Fe, N. Mex_______________ 81Floods of September 18-19 in Harrison County, Missi________-_-_- 82Floods of October 13-15 in Colorado River basin, Texas...--------- 85Floods of November 18-21 in Kentucky and adjacent southwest area. 87

References cited.__________________________________--_-----_------_ 93Index.___________________________________________________________ 95

m

IV CONTENTS

ILLUSTKATIONS

FIGURE 1. Map of the United States showing areas and months of occurrence of floods in 1957 for which reports are prepared.________________---_---_--___-____-____ C2

2. Map of flood area on January 29-February 6 in south eastern Kentucky and adjacent areas. ___--____-____ 5

3. Volume of water stored in TVA reservoir system. ______ 114. Map of flood area during February in Washington,

Oregon, and Idaho_____-_---_-_--__----_---______- 135. Discharge hydrographs, Weiser River, February 22-

March 3__.________________________________^_____ 176. Discharge hydrographs, Malheur River basin, February

22-March 2__.._____--___---- _-_-_---___________ 177. Total precipitation for April-June in Texas and adjacent

States________________-____-_--_-___-___-________ 198. Precipitation for April-June in percentage of normal for

1 year in Texas and adjacent States______ ___________ 199. Map of flood area during April-June in Texas and adjacent

States__.________________________________________ 2310-13. Isohyetal map showing total precipitation for:

10. April-June 1957 and the mean annual rainfall,Oklahoma and western Arkansas._____________ 25

11. April in Oklahoma and western Arkansas._______ 2512. May in Oklahoma and western Arkansas_________ 2613. June in Oklahoma and western Arkansas.._______ 27

14. Map of flood area during April-June in Oklahoma andwestern Arkansas-____---__---_----_---__---_---_- 28

15. Discharge at selected gaging stations during April-Junein Oklahoma and western Arkansas.________________ 31

16. Recurrence intervals of discharges in Oklahoma andwestern Arkansas_____--_-_------_-_--_--_____--_- 42

17-21. Map of flood area showing flood determination points:17. May 9 near Denver, Colo______________________ 4418. May 16-17 in Kansas___-__-____--__----______ 4519. May 17, 21-23 in southeastern Missouri. ________ 4620. May and June in Idaho___-__---_---__----__-_- 4821. June 5-7 on Greybull River, Wyo____-_-_-___-_- 51

22. Isohyetal map for June 7-8 in the vicinity of Perry, Fla_ _ 53 23-27. Map showing flood area and location of flood-determina

tion points:23. June 9 at Perry, Fla_________________________ 5424. June 14-17 in Illinois and Missouri_________.____ 5625. June 16 on Bazile Creek, Nebr________________ 5826. June 16-18 in Kansas River basin, Kansas and

Nebraska.___________________________________ 5827. June 16-21 in southeastern South Dakota________ 61

CONTENTS V

Page FIGURE 28. Discharge hydrographs for selected streams on June 16-

21 in southeastern South Dakota_____-_--_-________ C6329-31. Map showing location of flood-determination points:

29. June-July in western Colorado _________________ 6430. June-July in Indiana and Illinois _______________ 6631. July 1 in the vicinity of Coffeeville, Miss_______ 70

32. Rainfall intensity-frequency curves, July 1, vicinity ofCoffeeville, Miss________________________________ 70

33-37. Map showing location of flood-determination points:33. July 12-13 in northern Illinois_______--_-_----- 7334. July 26, 30 on Cherry Creek and July 30 on Ki-

owa Creek, Colo____________________________ 7735. August 3-4 in central New York________________ 7836. August 13-14 in north-central Arkansas.________ 8037. August 24 in vicinity of Santa Fe, N. Mex_______ 81

38. Rainfall intensity-frequency curves, September 17-18,Harrison County, Miss_______-_-__-________-_-_--_ 83

39-41. Map of flood area showing location of flood determination points:39. September 18-19 in Harrison County,Miss.______ 8540. October 13-15 in Colorado River basin, Texas.___ 8641. November 18-21 in Kentucky and adjacent south

west areas_____-_-____-____________--_-_--- 88

TABLES

Page TABLE 1. Flood stages and discharges during January 29-February

6 in southeastern Kentucky and adjacent areas_____ C62. Precipitation at representative locations during February

floods in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho____________ 123. Maximum and minimum temperatures at representative

locations during February floods in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho______________________________ 13

4. Flood stages and discharges during February in Washing ton, Oregon, and Idaho.__________________________ 14

5. Flood stages and discharges during April-June in Texasand adjacent States_____________________________ 20

6. Runoff, in acre-feet, in Oklahoma and western Arkansas,April-June 1957___._-_-_--__.__....._._-._._._... 29

7-10. Flood stages and discharges:7. April-June in Oklahoma and western Arkansas_ 318. May 9 in Platte River basin near Denver, Colo___ 439. May 16-17 in Arkansas River basin, Kansas.__._ 45

10. May 17 and 21-23 in southeastern Missouri-.-.-- 47 11. Precipitation at representative locatipns during May

floods in Idaho.__________________________________ 49

VI CONTENTS

Page TABLE 12-26, Flood stages and discharges:

12. May and June in Idaho.______________________ C5013. June 5-7 on Greybull River in Yellowstone River

basin, Wyoming.___________________________ 5214. June 14-17 in Illinois and Missouri____________ 5715. June 16-18 in Kansas River basin, Kansas and

Nebraska._________________________________ 5916. June 16-21 in Iowa and southeastern South Dakota. 6217. June-July in western Colorado _________________ 6418. June-July in Indiana and Illinois_____-----_____ 6719. July 1 in Yazoo River basin near Coffeeville, Miss. 7120. July 12-13 in northern Illinois- _-__---____-_____ 7521. August 3-4 in central New York._______________ 7922. August 13-14 in north-central Arkansas.________ 8023. August 24 in Rio Grande basin, Santa Fe, N. Mex_ 8224. September 18-19 in Harrison County, Miss____-_ 8425. October 13-15 in Colorado River basin, Texas.--- 8726. November 18-21 in Kentucky and adjacent south

west areas_ _ ________________________________ 90

FLOODS OF 1957

SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES

DURING 1957

ABSTRACT

The total amount of flood losses in the United States during 1957 was the fourth greatest in 55 years of record.

The greatest floods in 1957 were: January-February in southeastern Kentucky and adjacent areas, April-June in Texas and adjacent States, April-June in Oklahoma and western Arkansas, June in the St. Louis area in Missouri and Illinois, and June-July in the Wabash and White River basins in Indiana and Illinois.

Many other smaller but significant floods occurred in scattered areas during the year. In these floods many streams rose to maximum stages and had discharges of rare occurrence.

Reports of 25 floods are presented in chronological order in this annual summary.

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this summary chapter in the series "Floods of 1957" is to assemble into a single volume information relating to all known severe floods in the United States during 1957. Chapters A and B (U.S. Geol. Survey, 1963; Yost, 1963), respectively, describe these floods in detail.

The areas for which flood reports have been prepared for 1957 are shown on figure 1. The areas covered by chapters A and B are shown by hatching, and the areas for the other floods reported in this summary chapter are shown as dotted. The months in which the floods occurred are indicated; thus the location and the time dis tribution of floods during the year are given.

The floods in this summary chapter were selected as being unusual hydrologic events in which large areas were affected, great amounts of damage resulted, or extreme discharges or stages occurred.

Most of the floods in 1957 were in the lower Mississippi River basin and eastern Texas, and 20 of the 25 floods reported occurred in the 5-month period April-August.

The U.S. Weather Bureau (1957a) has estimated that the total flood damage in the United States during 1957 was $360 million. This

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SUMMARY OF 1957 FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES C3

was the fourth greatest loss in 55 years of record and was exceeded only in 1955 ($995 million), 1951 ($1,029 million), and 1937 ($441 million). The national average-annual-flood loss, based on losses during 1942-51 and adjusted to the 1952 price index, is $275 million.

A national average of 86 lives was lost owing to floods in the United States (1925-56). The total loss of lives was 82 in 1957, whereas it was 302 in 1955, 51 in 1951, and 142 in 1937.

The continuing investigation of surface-water resources in the areas covered by this report is carried on by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with State agencies, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and other Federal or local agencies. Some data in this report were obtained from U.S. Weather Bureau publications.

The collection of data, the computations, and some of the prepara tion of text were made by the district offices of the Surface Water Branch in whose district the floods occurred. Assistance in prepara tion of the data for the report was given by the Flood Specialists in their respective areas.

The report was assembled and prepared in the Floods Section, Tate Dalrymple, chief.

DETERMINATION OF FLOOD STAGES AND DISCHARGES

The peak stages and discharges at gaging stations and at miscel laneous sites given in this chapter are from data which are regularly obtained and compiled in the ordinary procedure of surface-water investigation by the Geological Survey.

The usual method of determining stream discharges at gaging sta tions is by the application of a stage-discharge rating to the recorded stage. The rating is usually defined by current-meter measurements through as much of the range of stage as possible. The peak dis charge at a station may be above the range of the stage-discharge rating, and short extensions of the rating may be made by logarithmic extrapolation, by velocity-area studies, or by use of other measurable hydraulic factors.

Peak discharges at gaging stations which are greatly above the range of the rating and peak discharges at miscellaneous sites are generally determined by various methods of indirect measurements at the site. Corbett (1943) describes these indirect methods. Dalrym ple (1937, 1939) ,and Johnson (1936) give more detailed descriptions with illustrated examples.

During major floods, adverse conditions often make it impossible to obtain current-meter measurements at some sites, in which case peak discharges are measured by indirect methods based on detailed surveys of selected channel reaches.

C4 FLOODS OF 1957

EXPLANATION OF DATA

The floods described herein are given in chronological order. Because of the different characteristics of the floods and because of the varying amounts of information available, no consistent form is used in reporting each event.

The data presented include: a description of the storm, the flood, and the flood damage; a map of the flood area showing the location of flood-determination points and for some storms the location of pre cipitation stations or isohyets; rainfall data; and flood-peak stages and discharges of the streams affected.

In general, some rainfall amounts are included in the description of the flood. When considerable rainfall data are available, they are presented in tables which give daily or storm tot" s. For the storms where sufficient data are available to determine the pattern and distribution of rainfall, an isohyetal map is shown.

A tabular summary of peak stages and discharges is given for each flood, unless the number of stations in the report is so small that the information is included in the description.

In the summary table, the first column under maximum floods shows the period of known floods prior to the 1957 flood. This period does not necessarily correspond to that in which continuous records of discharge were obtained, but many records extend back to an earlier date. More than one period of known floods are shown for some stations, as periods are shown when they can be associated with a maximum stage even though the corresponding discharge may not be known; a second period of known floods is then given in which both the maximum discharge and stage are known.

The second column under maximum floods shows the year in which the maximum stage or discharge occurred. The third column gives the date of the maximum stage or discharge in 1957.

Q2.33 in the last column refers to the theoretical flood having a recurrence interval of 2.33 years which by definition is the graphical interpretation of the mean annual flood.

SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN 1957

FLOODS OF JANUARY 29-FEBRUARY 6 IN SOUTHEASTERN KENTUCKY AND ADJACENT AREAS

An unusual series of storms occurred from January 20 to February 10 over a large area consisting of the western parts of West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina; the northern parts of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi; the southern part of Kentucky; and all of Tennessee. Rainfall from these storms produced totals in many places which exceeded previous records for a similar period. From 10 to 25 inches

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06 FLOODS OF 1957

of rain fell over the eastern half of the flood area, and from 7 to 14 inches fell over the western half in this 3-week period.

The first 3 weeks in January were drier than normal, and there was no snow on the ground when the rains began to fall on January 20. Heavy rains fell January 20-23, particularly on northwestern Tennessee River basin; they were heaviest below Pickwick Landing and caused medium-high stages on some streams. Practically no rain was reported January 24-26.

The heaviest rains fell from January 27 to February 2 (fig. 2) and it was in this period that the greatest discharges occurred. More than 10 inches of rain fell in many localities in the eastern Tennessee River basin, and more than 12% inches fell at Clingmans Dam, N.C.

The floods in eastern Kentucky were examples of the violent type of flash floods common in the mountainous reaches of the Big Sandy, Kentucky, Cumberland, and Licking Rivers. Enormous quantities of water ran off the thin soil and rocky slopes, rapidly raising the stages of the narrow streams to flood height. Few reservoirs exist on these streams to control flood flows.

Stages reached maximum heights on many streams and almost all principal towns along the rivers were flooded. Data of stage and discharge at representative stations are shown in table 1. On

TABLE 1. Flood stages and discharges during January 29-February 6 in south eastern Kentucky and adjacent areas

StationStream and place of

determinationDrainage

area (sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before January 1957

Period Year

January- February

1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

toQj.33

Kanawha River basin

1

2_______

3_______

4 .

5.... ..

Narrows, Va.

Camp Creek, W.Va.

Pipestem, W. Va.

W. Va.

305

OOQ

qo n

9.A0.

18781938-56

1 QflS 1 A

1938-56

1946-56

1950-56

19181 Q°.Q 5A

18781949

1955

1Q18

Jan. 29

Jan. 29

Jan. 29

23.514.4416.5013.0

12.55

6.35

13.862 14. 49

37.229.4231.27

(')13, 70016, 50011, 000

12, 9002,7203,410

14, 9002 16, 100

49, 00032, 30034, 200

Guyandot River basin

6.......Man, W. Va.

762 IQQft Rfi 19.1122.25

3 40, 00037,600

See footnotes at end of table.


TABLE 1. Flood stages and discharges during January 29-February 6 in south eastern Kentucky and adjacent areas Continued



area (sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before January 1957

Period Year

January- February

1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

to QJ.»J

Big Sandy River basin

7.......

8.......

9

10......

11-.--..

12- -.

13

14

15- .

Vansant, Va.

Grundy, Va.

Haysi, Va.

Meta, Ky.

Paintsville, Ky.

W. Va.

19.8

235

286

212

1,237

55.7

2,143

502

3,870

1941-56

1926-56

1926-56

18621937-56

1941-56

18621915-16,1928-56

1930-56

1938-56

1946

1929

1929

18621946

1 QCC

18621939

1935

1QKC

Jan. 29

Jan. 29

Jan. 29

Jan. 30

Jan. 29

Jan. 29

Jan. 31

14.519.0618.523.170)18.655242.9052.7214.2814.5446.642.15

45.9219.021.6046.3644.43

4,550

3 22, 00033, 20034, 50046, 60030, 00027, 3000)

50, 30085, 5004,4804,6800)

62, 300

69, 70027, 60035, 70089, 40084, 900

3.3

4.0

2.9

2.4

1.9

1.9

2.8

1.5

Little Sandy River basin

16 Little Sandy River near Grayson, Ky.

398 1938-56 1950Jan. 23

27.53 17.09

24, 500 6,400 .6

Tygarts Creek basin

17 Tygarts Creek near Greenup, Ky.

241 1940-56 1948Jan. 23

20.35 13.99

12, 800 4,000 .5

Licking River basin

18- . Licking River near Salyersville, Ky.

140 1938-56 1939Jan. 30

25.4 20.79

14, 300 5,880 1.4

Kentucky River basin

19

20

21

North Fork Ken tucky River at Hazard, Ky.

Troublesome Creek at Noble, Ky.

Middle Fork Ken tucky River at Tallega, Kv.

466

177

537

1927 1940-56

1939 1949-56

1930-32, 1939-56

1927 1951

1939 1951

1939 1951

Jan. 29

Jan. 29

Jan. 30

3427.2 37.54 29 24.78 23.35 40.50

43.33

0) 28, 100 47, 800 0)

15,600 13, 500 0)

35,30052, 700

2.8

1.7

2.9


C8 FLOODS OF 1957




area (sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before January 1957

Period Year

January- February

1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

toQj.33

Kentucky River basin Continued

22-

23

24

25

26

South Fork Kentucky River at Booneville, Ky.

Lock 14, at Heidel-

City, Ky.

Ky.

117

722

2,657

362

6,180

1947

1925-31,1939-56

1925^31,1936-56

1930-32,1938-56

1925 56

1947

1947

1939

1938

1 Q^7

do-

Jan. 30 -do-

Jan. 30

Feb. 4

41.70

43.4035.6

35.00

17.49

40.20

< 44, 00048,50050,700

66,100

120,000

116, 00021, 100

9,110

« 123, 0006 86, 300

8.1

2.9

1.8

.9

Salt River basin

27

28- - 940

1938-56

19131938-56

19281948

19131945

Feb. 10

Jan. 23

22.219.312.4194. 7

22.418.39

0)14, 7005,290(')

26, 50011,000

.5

.9

Green River basin

29

30

31

32

Columbia, Ky.

Pageville, Ky.

749

186

'531

M78

1939-56

1939-56

19131952

I QKO

1948

Jan. 30

Jan. 29

Jan. 30

Jan. 29

36.233.5025.6523.817.2827.2623.7630.7031.54

(')47,00021, 50015,9007,790

70, 00042,80030,90034, 300

1.1

.9

2.3

1.9

Cumberland River basin

33

34

35.-..--

36__

37.

38

39 _-

40 ,. ..

41-._...

Poor Fork at

Cumberland Rivernear Harlan, Ky.

Straight Creek atJensen, Ky.

near Pineville, Ky.

Billows, Ky.

Stearns, Ky.

Ky.

82.3

374

53.8

sno

604

382

954

K 7CQ

5,790

1927

1940-56

-IQOO.KC

1 Q*>A P;«

1 Q9Q

1950 56

1 C9fi_1 Q F1A IQOnKfi

19271946

1946

1 Q47

19291 QOQ

1QOQ

1951

1826

Jan. 29

do .

Jan. 29

Jan. 30

Jan. 29

Feb. 13

Feb. 22

10.29.65

11.5022.8119.89

49.3147.3545.4831.9041.233.5826.0052.938.5036.25

8 734. 40

69.564.8221.43

12, 0007,500

11,80037, 90031,00016,700

57, 90054,90046, 80025, 00074, 70044, 30029, 200(')

69,60061, 500» 4, 9609 4, 580

(0162, 000

6 27, 500

2.

2.4.

3.

1.

1.

1.






area (sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before January 1957

Period Year

January- February

1907

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

to<?2.33

Cumberland River basin Continued

12

13. -

105

7,320 1826-19561922-56

1955

18261926 do...

Jan. 29

Jan. 29

9.0610.8459.2

57.2530.44

14,10022, 600(0

145, 000

6 66, 500

3.2

Tennessee River basin

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51____ -_

52____ __

53 -

54-

55 -

56 .-

Little Pigeon River at Sevierville, Tenn.

South Fork Holston River at Vestal, Va.

Middle Fork Holston River at Sevenmile Ford, Va.

South Fork Holston River below South Holston Dam, Tenn.

North Fork Holston River near Gate City, Va.

Holston River at Surgoinsville, Tenn.

Tellico River at Tellico Plains Tenn.

Clinch River at Cleveland, Va.

Guest River at Coeburn, Va.

Clinch River at Speers Ferry, Va.

Clinch River above Tazewell, Tenn.

North Fork Powell River at Penning- ton Gap, Va.

Clinch River below Norris Dam, Tenn.

353

301

132

703

672

2,874

118

528

87.3

1,126

1,474

70

2,913

1875-1956 1920-56

1931-56

1942-56

1867 1951-56

1931-56

1867 1940-56

1840 1925-56

1920-56

1949-56

1895-1956

1862 1918-56

1944-56

1826 1903-56

1875 1928

1955

1947

1867 1953

1940

1867 1944

1840 1951

1926

1956

1902

1862 1923

1946

1826 1917

Feb. 1

Jan. 29

Jan. 29

Feb. 12

Jan. 30

Jan. 30

Jan. 31

Jan. 30

Jan. 29

Jan. 30

Jan. 31

Jan. 29

Feb. 12

18 15.4 14.71 13.73 15.35

9.86 10.75

55 37.70 40.45

14.75 16.73

3117.48 14.32 15 12.82 13.60 23.0 24.40 10.83 14.20

i°26.6 28.92 24(') 21.00 12.1 8.70

(0 (>) 11.65

(')

32, 000 28, 300 11, 400 15, 100

6,570 7,680

<>) 6 3, 360« 8, 270

23, 700 28, 700

0) 59, 600

« 45, 100 21, 500 15, 100 17, 500 26, 500 31, 000 4,020 6,360

42, 000 45, 300 66,000 39, 700 51,100 9,700 4,430

130, 000 87, 000

6 26, 600

1.9

2.0

1 Not determined.2 Maximum known since 1908.3 Observed.4 At site three-quarters of a mile downstream.5 Affected by backwater from Ohio River.6 Appreciably regulated by reservoir.7 Part of drainage area is noncontributing.8 Elevation in feet.9 Contents, in thousands of acre-feet.10 At site 400 ft downstream at datum about 1 ft higher.

upper Levisa Fork the flood exceeded the previously known maximum of 1862. Nine lives were lost and nearly 10,000 families were given flood assistance.

CIO FLOODS OF 1957

Flood damage in eastern Kentucky was estimated at $52 million which was more than 80 percent of the total damage in the entire flood area. Damage was estimated at more than $8.5 million in Pikesville, $4.5 million at Hazard, and ,$1.3 million at Barbourville.

In Virginia the most severe flooding occurred in the Big Sandy River basin in the narrow and deep headwater streams of Levisa Fork, Russell Fork, and Pound River. Most of the cultural features in this rough country are along the river banks. More than 100 homes were destroyed or damaged along 12 miles of Russell Fork near Haysi. The peak stage at the gaging station at Haysi was 4.7 feet higher than the previous maximum in 32 years of record. Ex tensive damage occurred in Pound and Grundy, on Pound River, and Levisa Fork.

At three gaging stations on the Clinch River the floods were greater than any known previously. At Speers Ferry the peak stage was 1-foot higher than that of the flood of 1902 which had been the maxi mum since 1862.

Some tributaries of the New River reached maximum stages and caused floods at Bland and Narrows. Most of the New River basin was outside the storm arear so the main stem had only moderate rises.

In southwestern Virginia, about 2,000 families were left homeless by the flood, and more than 800 homes and many business establish ments were destroyed or heavily damaged. Damage in the Virginia flood area was estimated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to have been nearly $5 million.

In Tennessee the flooding was most severe in the Clinch and Holston River basins and in the smaller streams originating on the western slopes of the Great Smoky Mountains. New maximums for the period of record (33 years and 39 years) occurred on the Clinch River above Tazewell and the Tellico River at Tellico Plains. At Chattanooga the Tennessee River reached flood stage for the first time since 1948, and many families were evacuated from the low-lying sections of the city.

Although an unusually large amount of runoff was produced by the continued heavy rains, most of the crests were relatively moderate.

More than 300 families were evacuated at Sevierville, as floodwaters from the Little Pigeon River rose to a depth of 3 feet in the residential and business districts. Floods on the Elk River at Fayetteville and the Duck River at Columbia and Shelbyville forced evacuation of many families from their homes. Lowlands and roads were flooded at scattered points across the State except on the Cumberland Plateau.

In southwestern West Virginia the highest flood peaks occurred in the headwaters of the Kanawha, Guyandot, and Big Sandy River basins. Floods in Tug Fork reached stages 2 to 3 feet higher than previous maximums during the periods of record. The peak stage

SUMMARY OF 1957 FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES Cll

at the gaging station near Kermit was about 3.3 feet higher than the previous maximum since 1934 and about 0.6 foot higher than a flood of unknown date prior to 1915.

A noteworthy feature of the floods was the large volume of runoff produced by the continued heavy rains. Inflow into lakes on Tennes see River tributaries was the greatest since the dams were built. The total of the maximum volumes stored in the lakes above Chattanooga was 3,700,000 acre-feet, and the total in the entire Tennessee River reservoir system was 6,700,000 acre-feet.

Tennessee Valley Authority officials estimated that if the reservoirs had not been built the peak stage at Chattanooga would have been about 54 feet (412,000 cfs) on February 3, whereas the actual crest was 32.24 feet (208,000 cfs) on February 2. This flood under natural

3600

Hales Bar, Guntersville, Wheeler, Wilson, and Pickwick Lakes

Fort Loudoun, Watts Bar, and Chicka- mauga Lakes

Hiwassee-Ocoee systems

ittle Tennessee system

Cherokee Lake

South Holston, Watauga, Boone, and Fort Patrick Henry Lakes

10 15FEBRUARY

1957

FIGURE 3. Volume of water stored in TVA reservoir system. Each graph shows the total storage in all reservoirs indicated below it. From TVA Division of Water Control Planning, River Control Branch.

690184 O 63 2

C12 FLOODS OF 1957

conditions would have been the second highest ever known at Chatta nooga, being exceeded only by that of 1867.

Figure 3 shows the volume of water stored in the reservoir system during the flood period. Each graph shows the total storage in all reservoirs named below it. The vertical difference between any two graphs represents the storage in the reservoir or group of reservoirs indicated between them. For example, on February 10, the total storage in Norris Lake and the reservoir system upstream from it was 1,530,00 cfs-days and that in Norris Lake alone was 390,000 (1,530,000-1,140,000) cfs-days.

A more comprehensive report of this flood is contained in chapter A of this volume (U.S. Geol. Survey, 1963).

FLOODS OF FEBRUARY IN WASHINGTON, OREGON, AND IDAHO

A number of floods occurred within the Columbia River basin in eastern Washington, eastern Oregon, and southern Idaho, February 24-28,

Weather in the Pacific Northwest had been cold for several weeks preceding these floods. The ground was frozen to a depth of several inches at low altitudes where there was no snow cover. A period of general precipitation began on February 20 and extended to February 27. Temperatures remained low February 20-22, and a snow cover accumulated. The temperature moderated considerably on February 23, and warm winds and moderate to heavy rains prevailed until February 27. Precipitation and water from melting snow considerably ex ceeded the infiltration capacity of the soil, especially in areas where the ground was frozen, and runoff of relatively high intensity occurred.

Representative data on precipitation and temperatures are shown in tables 2 and 3.

Peak discharges were determined at many sites (fig. 4), and table 4 lists the peak discharges at these sites.

Severe flooding occurred in Foster Creek, Douglas Creek, and upper Crab Creek basins in eastern Washington. This is the greatest flood known in much of this area since it was settled about 1890.

TABLE 2. Precipitation, in inches, at representative locations during February floods in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho

Stream

Foster Creek __ Douglas Creek. _. Crab Creek.- _ - Portneuf River... Boise River.- . .Malheur River ...Weiser River ...Powder River ...Prairie Creek ----

Climatic station

Coulee Dam, Wash... Waterville, Wash..... Wilson Creek, Wash-. Pocatello, Idaho .......

Vale, Oreg_-._. __ .Weiser, Idaho .........Baker, Oreg.. .Enterprise, Oreg_. ....

Altitude (ft)

1,702 2,605 1,276 4,440 2,842 2,240 2,120 3,368 3,760

February

20

0 0 0 Tr. .42 .03 .11 .06 .15

21

0 0 0 .04 .17 .04 .02 .01 Tr.

22

0.07 0 Tr. .09 .16 .19 .21 .28 .14

23

0.35 .43 .32 .11 .12 .08 .26 Tr. .01

24

0 0 0 .20 .13 .30

0 .07 Tr.

25

0.13 0 Tr. .32 .02 .14 .10 .08 Tr.

26

0.17 .32 .25 .11 .34

0 .42 .15 .19

27

0 0 0 .13 .04

0~~0~~~

0


TABLE 3. Maximum and minimum temperatures, in degrees Fahrenheit, at repre sentative locations during February floods in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho

Stream

Prairie Creek-. .....

Climatic station

Enterprise, Oreg--.... _ _

Alti tude(ft)

1,702 2,605 1,276 4,440 2,842 2,240 2,120 3,368 3,760

February

20

23,13 24, -1 28,11 48,31 35,29 38,30 39,29 27, 0 30,16

21

19, 4 23, -3

28, 4 44,3129,16 36,10 38, 9

24, -12 22, -1

22

23,12 17,10 26,15 52,3246,23 38,21 37,25 39,19 33, Ifi

23

29,16 23,14 31,20 50,4254,34 46,30 42,27 46,35 50,26

24

47,26 48,14 54,25 53,4054,40 50,34 46,30 50,39 55,38

25

45,33 40,25 52,32 53,3956,40 53,36 51,30 54,34 54,34

26

56,39 48,27 60,40 49,3450,42 55,36 49,34 50,34 53,36

27

52,30 47,30

50,3852,35 58,34 49,27 52,29 49,28

i WASHINGTON

rEXPLANATION

.3

Gaging stationNumbers correspond to those

given in table It

50 100 MILES

FIGURE 4. Map showing location of flood-determination points.Oregon, and Idaho.

Floods of February in Washington,

In Idaho the Portneuf River at Topaz was the highest for the period of record, 1913-14, 1920-57. Peak stages in Spring Valley Creek and Dry Creek near Eagle exceeded previous peaks in a short record started in 1954, and peak stages on Pine Creek near Cambridge in the

C14 FLOODS OF 1957

TABLE 4. Flood stages and discharges during February in Washington, Oregon, andIdaho

Station Stream and place of determination

Drainage area

(sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before February 1957

Period Year

Febru ary 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

toQ2.33

Hawk Creek basin

1 Hawk Creek at U.S. Highway 2 at Daven port, Wash.

23 Feb. 26 2,200 18

Foster Creek basin

2 .

3-.--...

West Fork Foster Creek at Deer Hill Road near Bridge port, Wash.

East ForkFoster Creek 2.5 mi. above mouth near Bridgeport. Wash.

East Fork Foster Creek tributary at State Highway 10 near Bridgeport, Wash.

25

142

4.75

Feb. 26

do .

do. . 11.7

756

3,600

193

9.5

9.0

Douglas Creek basin

5...

6

Douglas Creek near Alstown, Wash.

Douglas Creek at State Highway 10 near Trinidad, Wash.

114

910

1948 1950-57

1948 1954

Feb. 26 ... do

13.05 6.47 5.95

6,420 3,160 1,435 3,620

5.1 1.5

Willow Springs Creek basin

7.-.- _ Willow Springs Creek at State Highway 10, at Trinidad, Wash.

58 Feb. 27 3,900 2.2

Crab Creek basin

9

10-

11.

12

13-

14

15

Seef

South Fork Crab Creek tributary, at county road, at Wauken, Wash.

South Fork Crab Creek tributary, 2.2 mi. east of Edwall, Wash.

South Fork Crab Creek, 3.1 mi. south east of Edwall, Wash.

Crab Creek at Irby, Wash.

Goose Creek, 1.5 mi. east of Wilbur, Wash.

Broadax Draw tribu tary at State High way 4C, near Wilbur, Wash.

Wilson Creek near Wil son Creek, Wash.

Wilson Creek at Wilson Creek, Wash.

ootnotes at end of tabl(

0.68

4.3

22.8

974

48

1.12

460

470

^

1954-57

1943-57

1955

1951-57

1955

1956

1955

1951

Feb. 26

do. .

do ..

Feb. 27 Feb. 26

Feb. 26

do

Feb. 26

10.02 11.45

9.73 11.94

14.64 9.46

9.59 20.74

29.3 111

446

580

4,170 8,370 3,040

20577

7,760

1,420 U2, 900

3.9

3.628

14


TABLE 4. Flood stages and discharges during February in Washington, Oregon, andIdaho Continued

StationStream and place of determination

Drainage area

(sq mi)

Maximum floods


Period Year

Febru ary 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

toQ2.33

Crab Creek basin Continued

16.

17.

18-_-_-

Crab Creek, 2 mi. west of Wilson Creek, Wash.

Crab Creek at east low canal near Adrian, Wash.

Crab Creek near Moses Lake, Wash.

1,680

1,740

2,040 1943-57 1956

Feb. 27

...do.....

Feb. 288.19

2 6. 81

12,500

9,810

3,090 10, 400

7.8

5.8

5.1

Portneuf River basin

19

20

Portneuf River at Topaz, Idaho.

Portneuf River at Pocatello, Idaho.

570

1,250

1913-14, 1920-57

1897-99, 1912-57

1913

1917Feb. 25

Feb. 28

26.1

5.71

6.52

902

1,040 2,000

970

2.4

1.2

Boise River basin

21

22

Spring Valley Creek near Eagle, Idaho

Dry Creek near Eagle, Idaho

20.9

59.4

1954-57

1954-57

1955

1955Feb. 26

Feb. 26

2.19 2.85 3.73 4.70

60 244 156 339

3.5

2.0

Malheur River basin

23

24

25-

26

27..

28.-.

29

Drewsey, Oreg.

near Harper, Oreg.

Hope, Oreg.

Warm Springs near Vale, Oreg.

Vale, Oreg.

Vale, Oreg.

Ontario, Oreg.

910

198

3,010

530

602

3,880

4,680

1922,1927-57

1904-06,1910-17, 1922-23

1934,1938-57

1919

1952

1910

1940

1910

Feb. 24... do.....

Feb. 24

Feb. 24

Feb. 24

Feb. 25

12.90

13.3

9.0011.5

8.6

6.60

10.519.5

19.67

9,030

10, 7005,140

8,80012, 300

6,240

5,6003,400

8,98022, 800

20, 80024, 000

5.813

5.3

6.4

Weiser River basin

30___.--

31----

32-.--.-

33__-.--

"YVeiser River near

near Indian Valley,

Midvale, Idaho.

605

54

01 Q

1Q^Q_^7

1938-57

1938-57

1911-16,1925-57

1955

1948

1925

1910

Feb. 26

Feb. 26

Feb. 26

Feb. 26

U3.99.73

23.604.17

5.2328.9

5.03

10, 1007,600

505510

1,840

1,4804,240

3937

1.9

1.6

1.9


C16 FLOODS OF 1957

TABLE 4. Flood stages and discharges during February in Washington, Oregon, andIdaho Continued


Drainage area

(sq mi)

Maximum floods


Period Year

Febru ary 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

toQj.33

Weiser River basin Continued

34......

35-.--

36.-.-.

Weiser, Idaho.

Weiser, Idaho.

Weiser, Idaho.

288

1,460

1922-57

1890-91,1895-1904, 1911-14, 1923-57

1911-13,1937-57

1925

1QCK

Feb. 26

Feb. 27

Feb. 26

6.86.23

11.06

10.8125.45

3.40

2,3503,170

19, 900

19, 0001,540

602 1.3

Powder River basin

37-__

38...

39__

Baker, Oreg.

Sutton Creek atBaker, Oreg.

Powder River atBaker, Oreg.

219

57.2

351

1904 141927-57

1910

Feb. 24-.do. _

do

27.05

3.67

1,820

5061,630

2,460

.77.4

2.3

Grande Ronde River basin

40 Prairie Creek atEnterprise, Oreg.

80.1 Feb. 24 1,460 4.2

1 Result of dam failure.2 At different site or datum.3 Regulated by Crane Creek Reservoir.

Weiser River basin exceeded previous peaks in a record which began in 1938. Little Weiser River near Indian Valley has been higher only once in 25 years of record. Crane Creek at the mouth, near Weiser, had the highest stage since 1920. The peak discharge of Weiser River near Weiser has been exceeded only once in 47 years of record.

In eastern Oregon severe flooding occurred in the lower reaches of Malheur River and Powder River basins and on Prairie Creek in the Grande Ronde River basin. On Malheur River the magnitude of the flood peak approached that of the historic flood of 1910, and at Vale, the main center of damage, the stage was higher than that of 1910.

Hydrographs for typical streams in the Weiser River and Malheur River basins are shown in figures 5 and 6, respectively.

Flood damage in the Crab Creek basin was most severe in the town of Wilson Creek where most of the town was under several feet of water. Damage here was estimated at many tens of thousands of


22 23 24 25 26 27 28 1 23

FEBRUARY MARCH

1957

FIGURE 5. Discharge hydrographs, Weiser River, February 22-March 3.

Malheur River near Drewsey, Oreg.

Bully Creek near Vale, Oreg

22 28 1 2

MARCH

24 25 26 27

FEBRUARY

1957

FIGURE 6. Discharge hydrographs, Malheur River basin, February 22-March 2.

dollars. Considerable damage also was done to roads and bridges in Foster Creek, Douglas Creek, and Crab Creek basins.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimated total damage in the Portneuf River basin at $40,000, most of which occurred to highways and county roads.

In the Weiser River basin, the total damage was estimated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at $100,000 most of which occurred to

CIS FLOODS OF 1957

agricultural properties, although the outlying areas of the town of Weiser were inundated. Flood waters damaged fences, irrigation structures, crops, and land.

Flood damage along the Malheur River in eastern Oregon was estimated at $1,640,000. Practically the entire town of Vale was under several feet of water, and parts of the town of Ontario also were inundated. The damage in these towns amounted to $633,000 to residences and $335,000 to commercial establishments. Damage to agricultural property on the flood plain was $397,000 and that to highways and other roads in the valley was $275,000.

Damage along Bully Creek near Vale, which was mostly to agri cultural properties, was estimated at $156,000. The Union Pacific Railroad, highways, and county roads were damaged in this area.

Total damage along Powder River, mostly at Baker, Oreg., was estimated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at $210,000, of which damage to residential property accounted for almost one-half and damage to commercial property amounted to $73,000. The remainder of the damage was to roads and other public property such as the city sewage treatment plant.

FLOODS OF APRIL-JUNE IN TEXAS AND ADJACENT STATES

During April-June 1957, heavy and frequent rains fell over the eastern two-thirds of Texas and parts of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana (fig. 7). Weather records do not show another 3-month period in which so much rain occurred over such a large part of the area. In some areas the total 3-month rainfall was greater than that normally occurring in 12 months (fig. 8). This was a sudden change from the drought which had prevailed over practically all the South west since 1951 and which persisted until above-normal rainfall began in March 1957.

In previous years, rainfall and streamflow had been gradually de creasing, and the flow of many streams was the lowest in recorded history owing to a combination of the drought and increased ground- water withdrawals. Some of the larger springs in Texas had ceased to flow for the first time in the memory of the oldest residents.

Some of the conditions produced by the drought served to modify the floods. The soil was relatively dry, and most of the reservoirs were at alltime low stages. The rainfall in early April produced little runoff. Recurrent rainfall on the saturated soil filled most reservoirs and produced floods on some streams comparable in magnitude and extent to the greatest known in the history of recorded streamflow records. One example was Lake Texoma, which between March 1 and June 6 rose from its record low to its record high since storage


EXPLANATION10

IsohyetIsohyetal interval 5 inches

FIGURE 7. Isohyetal map of flood area showing total precipitation for April- June in Texas and adjacent States. From U.S. Weather Bureau.

200 o 200 MILES

FIGURE 8. Precipitation for April-June 1957 in percent of normal for 1 year in Texas and adjacent States. From U.S. Weather Bureau.

C20 FLOODS OF 1957

began in 1942. Few peak flows during the flood period exceeded previous maximum peaks. (See table 5.)

The floods were notable for their duration and large volume of run off rather than for high rates of discharge. The lower reaches of the Red, Trinity, and Brazos Rivers were in flood for 30 to more than 60 days. The total volume of water discharged by each of these major streams during April-June was considerably greater than their average yearly runoff.

TABLE 5. Flood stages and discharges during April-June in Texas and adjacentStates


Drainage area

(sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before April 1957

Period Year

April- June 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

Cfs Ratioto <?2.33

Red River basin

1-. --

2

3- ---

4 -~

5-

6 -~

7 ~~

8-- ~

9 -_-

10.

11

12-.

at Mangum, Okla.

Denison Tex.

Colbert, Okla.

Talco, Tex.

Texarkana Reser voir near Tex arkana, Tex.

Qilliam, La.

Ninock, La.

1 1 ggg

1 Of! 709

1 39 7^9'

i 39 777'

1,365

3,443

364

91

2,628

IQflrAC

1937-57

mosaic 7

1942-57

1923-57

1944-57

1948^57

1928-57

1QQQ

19411951

1943

1Q4.C

19351942

1914 i Q";?

1 QAK

...do..

1945

1957

1953

1945

May 16

June 5

May 19

April 27

Apr. 29 do.--

Apr. 29

Apr. 28

May 15

May 13

14.7

14.55

26.5325.1444.37

42.30

2 643. 1845.5

32.026.2627.5

22.2823.63

16.23

17.23

25.73

23.328.26

15.0843. 9547.08

45.23

40.70

60,000

72, 000168,000

102, 000

91, 30098, 000

3 4, 2953 5, 991

( 4)201,000

102, 000(4)

13, 10032, 90025, 700

1,800

1,720

6,270

8,200

3968,130

5 20, 000

17,000233, 000197, 000

4.5

1.4

1.0

1.0

2.3

l

Sabine River basin

13-~

14

Sabine River nearEmory, Tex.

Ruliff, Tex.

965

9 440'

1900-571952-57

1924-57

19431953

1S841953

Apr. 27

May 20,21

25.720.2825.06

19.9815.96

(4)34, 40074,000«

121,00053,800

5.4

1.2



TABLE 5. Flood stages and discharges during April-June in Texas and adjacentStates Continued


Drainage area

(sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before April 1957

Period Year

April- June 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

Cfs Ratio to Qz.ss

Neches River basin

15

16

17 -

18--

Neches River near Neches, Tex.

Mud Creek near Jacksonville, Tex.

Angelina River near Zavalla, Tex.

Village Creek near Kountze, Tex.

1,129

382

2,880

837

1884-1957

1885-19~57 1939-57

1883-1957 1951-57

1913-57 1924-27,

1939-57

1908

1908, 13 1944

1902 1953

1915 1940

May 1

May 1

May 3

May 2

24.3 17.80 20 14.09 10.12 29.4 27.72 27.23 34 27.6

17.96

65, 000 15,800 (4)

23,400 7,040(*)

37,300 32, 700 (4)

67, 200

10, 700

1.7

.9

2.4

.8

Trinity River basin

19 -

20

21

22- -

23

24. -

West Fork Trinity River near Jacks- boro, Tex.

Clear Fork Trinity River near Aledo, Tex.

Trinity River at Dallas, Tex.

East Fork Trinity River near Cran- dall, Tex.

Richland Creek near Richland, Tex.

Trinity River at Liberty, Tex.

683

246

6,120

1,257

737

17, 539

1900-57 1956-57

1858-1957 1947-57

1840-1957

1949-57

1899-1957 1939-57

1903-57

1941 1956

1922 1949

1908

1950

1913 1948

1942

Apr. 27

May 25

May 26

May 28

Apr. 21

May 12

30 17.27 32.10 34 25.00 29.00 52.6 41.72 22.12 22.81

25.5 24.16 23.11 29.38 29.26

(4) 1,890

35, 100 («)

15,900 34,000

184, 000 75,300 24, 000 33, 000

(4) 58, 900 44, 600

114, 000 88, 100

6.6

5.0

3.0

2.1

2.0

Brazos River basin

25

26

27. -

28.-

90

30 .

31...

Brazos River at Sey mour, Tex.

Hubbard Creek near Breckenridge, Tex.

Palo Pinto Creek near Santo, Tex.

North Bosque River near Clifton, Tex.

Lampasas River at Youngsport, Tex.

San Gabriel River at Georgetown, Tex.

Brazos River at Richmond, Tex.

i 14, 490

1,087

567

971

1,242

415

i 44, 020

1923-57

1925-57 1955-57

1880-1957 1951-57

1887-1957 1923-57

1873 1924-57

1869-1957

1852 19571903-06,

1922-59.

1926 1955

1953 1955

1922 1956

1922 1945

1873 1936

1921

19l3 1929

May 19

May 25

May 26

Apr. 27

May 13

Apr. 24

May 5

21.0010.10 34.2 30.98 34.00 31 26.08 31.05 25 23.2 22.48 44.2 33.5 36.4 36.1 34.10

« 48. 2 40.6

37.13

95, 400

28, 000 (*)

12, 800 34, 500

(*) 17,600 45,100

(4) 39,000 37,400

(4) 53,200 84,000

160, 000 155, 000

(4) 123, 000

119, 000

.8

3.6

3.5

1.4

3.9

14.5

1.8

Colorado River basin

32

33

34

Colorado River at Colorado City, Tex.

South Concho River at Christoval, Tex.

Spring Creek near Tankersly, Tex.

i 4, 082

434

734

1910-57

1882-1957

1853-1957 1930-57

1939

1906

1882 1942

May 25

May 9

May 9

35.9 19.71

23 20.82 26 21.37 21.35

66,000 13,000

155, 000 84,000 «

26,900 29,400

1.1

11.7

2.7


C22 FLOODS O* 1957

TABLE 5. Flood stages and discharges during April-June in Texas and adjacentStates Continued


Drainage area

(sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before April 1957

Period Year

April- June 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

Cfs Ratioto Ql.33

Colorado River basin Continued

3S -

36

37

38 -

39-..-

40

North Concho River near Carlsbad, Tex.

Concho River near San Angelo, Tex.

San Saba River at Menard, Tex.

Llano River at Llano, Tex.

Pedernales River near Johnson City, Tex.

Colorado River at Austin, Tex.

i 1, 533

i 4, 492

1,151

4,233

947

1 38, 400

1853-1957

1854-57

1880-1957 1915-57

1879-1957

1859-1957

1843-1957

1936

1906

1899 1938

1935

1952

1869

Apr. 28

May 9

Apr. 19

May 27

Apr. 24

June 4

29.1 14.75

47.5 39.8 23.3 22.2 15.97 41.5 16.39 42.5 24.8

46.0 17.60

94,600 8,180

246, 000 106, 000

(4) 130, 000 41,000

380, 000 47, 200

441, 000 125, 000

550, 000 40, 800

.5

4.7

4.1

1.2

6.9

.7

Lavaca River basin

41 Navidad River near Ganado, Tex.

1,116 1876-1957 1936Apr. 30

39.8 30.08

94,000 18,100 1.1

Guadalupe River basin

42 -

43

44

45_

Guadalupe River atComfort, Tex.

Blanco River atWimberly, Tex.

at San Antonio,Tex.

Selma, Tex.

836

364

42

280

1848-1957

1869-1957

1820-1957

1932

1929

1921

18891952

Apr. 24

Apr. 24

May 27

May 27

38.424.5931.1024.7320.149.23

2619.3714.48

182, 00035, 200

113,00062,60015, 3001,850

0)36, 40016, 900

2.7

6.3

2.7

Nueces River basin

46

47

48

49

50.

51

Laguna, Tex.Frio River at Con-

can, Tex.

D'Hanis, Tex.

Whitsett, Tex.

Del Rio, Tex.

764

405

87.4

1,171

I

9Q *»fin

4,185

ISfifi 10^7

1952-57

Ififil 1QPi7

lio Grande 1

1 Q39 P17

1900-1914.1923-57

1955

1932

19351954

1Q1Q

asin

1Q4.1

1932

May 27

Apr. 24

Apr. 24

May 29

Apr. 26

32.78.18

34.4410.4526.29.307.17

4127.73

20.4914.5536.60

9 QK

307, 0006,490

162, 00013, 400

(*)8,1104,620

50, 0008,410

20,0003,800

597, 000

KA 7nn

.5

1.3

1.2

.8

1 Part is noncontributing.2 Elevation, in feet.8 Contents, in thousands of acre-feet.4 Unknown.5 Daily discharge.« At site 1,000 ft upstream.

102°

100

Gag

ing

Sta

tio

nN

um

ber

s co

rres

pond t

o th

ose

giv

en i

n t

able

5

FIG

URE

9. M

ap s

how

ing

loca

tion

of s

elec

ted

floo

d-de

term

inat

ion

poin

ts.

Floo

ds o

f Apr

il-J

une

in T

exas

and

adj

acen

t St

ates

.

34° 32

°

to CO

C24 FLOODS OF 1957

Maximum flood stages and discharges occurred in the Red River basin and in several other Texas streams (table 5 and fig. 9).

No floods originated in Louisiana, but moderate rises occurred in April along the Red River. More severe rises occurred in May, when backwater areas along the Red River were inundated as floodwaters from Texas and Oklahoma moved downstream toward the gulf.

Millions of dollars of damage and some loss of life resulted. Several thousand families were evacuated, thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed, hundreds of thousands of acres of productive farmland were inundated for prolonged periods, and municipal and industrial property damage was extensive. Most damage to urban property was caused by comparatively small streams. Many highways, highway bridges, and railroad bridges were damaged or destroyed. A few levees were overtopped or broken, and minor damage occurred to small dams.

Although Oklahoma and western Arkansas were included in the arsa of the intense 3-month rains, the floods followed a different time pattern than those in Texas and immediate areas of adjacent States. This flood report therefore covers the closely related areas of Texas and northwestern Louisiana, and a more complete report by Yost (1963) is available.

The floods in the neighboring areas of Oklahoma and western Arkansas are discussed in the following section in this annual summary.

FLOODS OF APRIL-JUNE IN OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN ARKANSAS

The most severe drought of record in the Great Plains occurred from the summer of 1951 to the spring of 1957; 1956 was extremely dry for Oklahoma and western Arkansas, and large parts of the area received less than 50 percent of the average annual precipitation. Precipitation was about average in the first 3 months of 1957 and became heavier in the last week in March. The total precipitation during April-June was outstanding, and precipitation was also heavy in some 24-hour periods. Many stations reporting rainfall accumu lated a 3-month total equal to the average annual precipitation. The heavy rains of the April-June period were the results of large-scale and persistent abnormalities in the general circulation of the atmos phere over the western section of the Northern Hemisphere. This circulation brought an abundance of moisture northward from the Carribbean and the Gulf of Mexico over the South-Central States, where the moisture was released as precipitation by various circulatory and convergence mechanisms which persisted within the region. Figure 10, an isohyetal map of the accumulated total precipitation for the 3-months period, also indicates the long-time average annual precipitation for Oklahoma and western Arkansas.


EXPLANATION 30

100 100 MILES

Isohyet, showing rainfall for April-June 1957Isohyetal interval 5 inches______28-----

Isohyet, showing mean annual rainfallIsohyetal interval 4 and 8 inches

FIOUBE 10. Isohyetal map showing total precipitation for 3 months April-June 1957 and the mean annual rainfall, Oklahoma and western Arkansas.

Storms of April. Heavy rains in April, principally in the periods April 3-4 and 18-23, occurred in western Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma (fig. 11). The thunderstorms in April were accompanied by tornadoes and hail

Storms of May. A distinguishing feature of the May storms was the unusual persistence of flood-producing precipitation during a 2-week period. Precipitation fell almost every day during this period over much of Oklahoma and western Arkansas.

The storm of May 15-16 occurred over an extensive area in western and central Oklahoma, generally north of the Cimarron River. The

..OKLAHOMA


100 MILES

FIGURE 11. Isohyetal map showing total precipitation for April in Oklahoma and western Arkansas.

C26 FLOODS OF 1957

largest amount of precipitation reported at a Weather Bureau station was 13.07 inches at Hennessey, Okla. The maximum amount of precipitation found in a "bucket" survey after the storm was 20 inches, 5 miles southwest of Hennessey, which occurred in the 11-hour period 7 p.m. May 15 to 6 a.m. May 16. Three miles northeast of this observation, 19.9 inches were measured in a large stock tank. Depth- area data for the storm of May 15-16, 1957, near Hennessey and for noteworthy storms of 1940 and 1948 are as follows:

Rainfall depth (inches)

=~5 _ _--_--________-_________ ______ _>10____ -__-_-_--_______________...__.__^15-__. -----------_-_--_-_-__--_-_-___=~20

1940

2,8001,320

3007

Area (sq mi)

1948

88539514535

1957

2,460778128

8

Other storms occurred during the remainder of the month. A storm on May 17 occurred in the basins of the Washita River and Salt Fork Red River. A second storm in the lower part of the Cimarron River basin occurred on May 20. A storm on May 22-24 occurred along a line from south-central Oklahoma to northwestern Arkansas, and a storm on May 29 centered along the Kansas-Oklahoma border north of Buffalo, Okla.

In western Arkansas and in Oklahoma monthly precipitation for May exceeded the long-term May mean; indeed, many stations reporting rainfall received more than twice this mean. Precipitation at Hennessey was 5% times the long-term monthly mean for May.

Isohyet 100 Isohyetal interval 3 inches I '

100 MILES

FIGURE 12. Isohyetal map showing total precipitation for May in Oklahoma and western Arkansas.


May 1957 was the wettest May of record at many stations. Figure 12 is an isohyetal map for May.

Storms of June. The general storm activity moved into northern and eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas during June. The storms during this month were many, intense, of relatively small areas, and occurred in waves of 4- or 5-day intervals. Noteworthy storms occurred during the periods June 9-15 and 22-24. An isolated heavy rain storm on the evening of June 22 caused flooding on the North Canadian River and its tributaries in northwest Oklahoma. The Wolf Creek tributary drains the area covered by this storm, which centered on the Oklahoma-Texas border. Overnight rainfall amounting to as much as 10 inches was obtained from a "bucket" survey in the area of the storm center. Figure 13 is an isohyetal map for June.

ARKANSAS')

EXPLANATION_ ____________ Q _


100 100 MILES

FIGURE 13. Isohyetal map stowing total precipitation for June in Oklahoma and western Arkansas.

The meteorology of these storms is described in detail by the U.S. Weather Bureau (1958).

THE FLOODS

Streamflow in April was above normal over much of the area, and soil moisture was at a high level. Precipitation in May and June contributed directly to streamflow, and floods occurred in all Oklahoma and western Arkansas (fig. 14) except in the Oklahoma panhandle. The floods were record breaking in the Cimarron and Washita River basins. The floods claimed at least 10 lives, inundated hundreds of homes, caused evacuation of hundreds of families from lowlands, destroyed more than 500 county highway bridges and many bridges on main highways and railroads, and caused millions of dollars of

690184 O 63 3

to 00

34°

Mis

cell

aneo

us m

easu

rem

ent

site

N

umbe

rs c

orre

spon

d to

thos

e gi

ven

in ta

ble

7

FIG

URE

14.

Map

of f

lood

are

a sh

owin

g lo

catio

n of

floo

d-de

term

inat

ion

poin

ts.

Floo

ds o

f Apr

il-Ju

ne i

n O

klah

oma

and

wes

tern

Ark

ansa

s.


damage. Highways were impassible during the time of flood crests. Many towns and cities were flooded in residential and business sections. Agricultural lands were extensively damaged owing to erosion of cropland, deposition of infertile sediment, bank erosion, and destruc tion of growing crops.

The floods of this period were the most widespread and the most sustained major flooding of record in this area. The flood period is characterized by the volume of runoff and the long intervals during which the main rivers stayed above flood stage rather than by ex tremely high stages.

The runoff, in acre-feet, during April-June constituted a very high proportion of the 1957 annual runoff. At nearly every station in this report, the 3-month runoff exceeded the 10-year average annual runoff at that station.

Table 6 shows the ratio of the 3-month runoff to the 10-year average annual runoff for all stations which had 10 years of discharge records prior to 1957. The maximum ratio in this table is 3.8 for station 2, Black Bear Creek at Pawnee, Okla.

TABLE 6. Runoff, in acre-feet, in Oklahoma and western Arkansas, April-June1957

Station

!___ -______ _._._. ._._.___ _______2____ _____________________________3____ _____________________________4___ -__________-_-_-_-_-__________713_________ _______________________17.__ _____ ___-_____-_-___-_-____18_________ ___________ ____________19 _- 21. _______________________________22_____ ___________________________24_ _ ____________________________25 __ _ -___27-_._____ ________________________28__--.____ _______________________29___ -------_-__________-__-_-_-__30_--___--.____ ___________________3132________________. _______________33________ ________________________34_______ _________________________36_____________ ___________________38_._ _____________________________43___.____________________________47_____.__________________________50_-_--____-_______________ _______51.___ ____________________________

Contributing drainage area

(sq. mi)

46, 850 576

4,305 813

8,504 11,966 12, 926

31 62, 074

123 3,639

736 424

1,955 6,534

364 340 905

7,911 5,876 2,510

872 10, 335 84, 133

959 1,626

20, 428

Kunoff, April-June 1957

Volume (thousands of

acre-ft)

4,609 326. 8

35. 62 15.94

624.0 1,777 2, 148

12. 58 8,064

92. 51 1,681

214.4 299. 8

1,228 3,654

339.4 306.4 792.3

4,808 1,806 1,856

858. 2 4,630

19, 480 868. 1

1, 106 380. 7

Ratio to 10-yr average annual

runoff

1.3 3. 8 .4 . 3

1.9 2.8 2. 7 2.6 1. 7 3.3 1.4 1.2 2. 1 2. 3 1. 8 3. 5 3.3 3.4 2. 0 1. 1 1.7 1. 8 1. 1 1. 6 1. 5 1. 2 1. 1

C30 FLOODS OF 1957

TABLE 6. Runoff, in acre-feet, in Oklahoma and western Arkansas, April-June1957 Continued

Station

53__ . -_._ _____54.. _-_-_--____-_-____-______.____55_____.__.__ _____________________56-__-_-_-_--__-_---_ --____-_-_--_57 __ -__-- --_----__-______59--___ _-_---_-----_-_____-_-____60_. .-_-_-___-___-_-__-__-________62___'__________ ___________________63_____-__________________ ________64-_-____-_---_____---_ __-__---_._66_______ _________________________67-_--___-_-___-_ _____________ ____69__-________ ____________________ _73___ __-_-_____--__-__.___________74_________ -_-_-__--______________76_-_-_-.___ ______________________79__ --_-_____---_-_---_-_-_____.__81.._____ _________________________82___-_.________ __________________86_______________ _________________89. _____ ---_--------------__--_93___ _____________________________95__.____ _________________________96__--_-_--__-____--_ __________ ___97__________ ______________________101______ _________________________104__-_____ ---______-__-_-_-__ ___.106_.____- __--______--___-_-______111____.___- ______________________112___ ____________________________113.___ ___________________________115______ -___-_-__-_____._________116____--_-____- ___-__-__-_-______

Contributing drainage area

(sq mi)

456 865

23, 151 588

1,386 1,498 9,391 2,018

37, 876 182 200 122 993

128, 242 74

372 131, 466

1,357 1,938 3,845

675 22, 787 28, 846

3, 129 319

5,330 7,202

33, 841 1,087

720 38, 595

1,423 42, 094

Runoff, April-June 1957

Volume (thousands of

acre-ft)

219.5 608.4

2,035 616.5 166. 1 135. 0 850. 9

1, 141 7, 154

210.3 186.4 131. 6 593. 7

30, 840 104.3 442. 5

32, 990 126. 5 119. 7 402.4 240. 8

4,374 4,964

408.9 19. 41

1,006 2,213 6,308 1, 119

647. 9 10, 480

1, 618 13, 840

Ratio to 10-yr average annual

runoff

2. 6 2.4 1.9 1. 9 2.4 2. 1 1. 7 2.3 2. 0 1.8 1. 2 1.7 .8

1.8 1. 7 1. 1 1.4 2.0 1. 2 2.0 1. 9 2. 7 2. 6 2. 1

. 6 1.9 2.4 2.0 2. 1 2. 3 2.0 1.3 1. 8

The small ratios for some stations (Nos. 3, 4, 24, 33, 38, 50, 69, 82) indicate that these stations are at the edge of the flood area or are below large reservoirs which stored a large quantity of water during the flood period.

Peak discharges were determined at 116 sites in the flood area (table 7).

The Arkansas Kiver from Muskogee, Okla., to Van Buren, Ark., was continually above flood stage from mid-May to the first week of July. Discharge hydrographs for selected stations are shown on figure 15.


ii i EXPLANATION

Arkansas River at Tulsa, Oklahoma

Cimarron River at Perkins, Oklahoma

Washita River near Durwood, Oklahoma

Illinois River near Tahlequah, Oklahoma

20 25 30 5 10 15 20 25 31 5 10 15 20 25 30 5 10 15

APRIL MAY JUNE JULY

FIGURE 15. Discharge at selected gaging stations, April-July 1957, Oklahoma and western Arkansas.

TABLE 7. Flood stages and discharges during April-June in Oklahoma and westernArkansas

Sta tion

Stream and place of determination

Drainage area

(sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before April 1957

Period Year

April- June 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

to Qa.ss

Arkansas River basin

l--_ -

2.___.__

3___.__.

4.......

5

6-______

7-..--..

8.......

9.......

10_-__.

Seel

Arkansas River at Ralston, Okla.

Black Bear Creek at Pawnee, Okla.

Cimarron River near Mocane, Okla.

Crooked Creek near Nye, Kans.

Anderson Creek near Freedom, Okla.

Long Creek near Freedom, Okla.

Cimarron River near Waynoka, Okla.

Eagle Chief Creek near Carmen, Okla.

Hoyle Creek at Ames, Okla.

Preacher Creek near Dover, Okla.

ootnotes at end of ta

i 46, 850

576

i 4, 305

1813

28.7

42

i 8, 504

306

26.4

14.5

ble.

1923 1925-57

1943-57

1914 1942-57

1933-57

1914 1903-05,

1937-57

1918-57

1923 1944

1943

1914 1942 1951

1955

1914 1950

1955

May 20

May 18

May 16

May 16 ...do.....

...do.....

May 16 ...do.....

...do.....

May 15

23.8 23.65 21.41 28.19 25.26 13 10.5 9.94 5.06 8.01 6.24

14 11.40

15.10

4.87 9.1

(2) 179, 000 120, 000 17, 800 12,200

(2) (2)

53, 400 9,300

13,600 4,220

12, 900

17,300

(2) 70, 000

94, 500 31,800

3 6, 800

<512 6,420

1.7

2.5

1.3

1.7

3.4 10.1

C32 FLOODS OF 1957

TABLE 7. Flood stages and discharges during April-June in Oklahoma and westernArkansas Continued

Sta tion


Drainage area

(sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before April 1957

Period Year

April- June 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

to 02.33

Arkansas River basin Continued

11 -.

12

13.--

14_ _-

15.. .

16..

17.. .

10

19

20__..__

91

22

23_---. .

25......

26......

27

28

29

30-

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

Clear Creek nearEnid, Okla.

Drummond, Okla.Cimarron River near

Quthrie, Okla.

South Boggy Creekat Enid, Okla.

Hackberry Creeknear Waukomis, Okla.

Lovell, Okla.

Perkins, Okla.

Stillwater, Okla.

Tulsa, Okla.

Heyburn, Okla.

Okla.

Lenapah, Okla.Hulah Reservoir near

Hulah, Okla.

Hulah, Okla.

Copan, Okla.Caney River near

Ochelata, Okla.

Ramona, Okla.

Claremore, Okla.

Okla.

Skiatook, Okla.Bird Creek near

Sperry, Okla.

Inola, Okla.Neosho River near

Commerce, Okla.Spring River near

Mo.

Elk River near TiffCity, Mo.

Lake O'The Chero-

Okla.

15.9

248

"11,966

3.7

31

410

i 12, 926

01

i 62, 074

123

3,639

732

736

424

1,753

1 QCK

6,534

364

340

905

5,876

? 2, 510

42

872

10, 298

1Q47 K7

1935-57

1QQO

1949 57

i Q97 £7

1939 57

1Q10 K7

iQfi^_p;71QOC^^7

1QCA C7

1940

1QOQ C7

1 QCA C7

19261937-57

1943-57

1956-57

1 QQCQQ

1945-57

1943 571945 57

1943-57

1Q4.O K7

1QOQ_K7

1QQC

1 939 57

1Q4C

lO/tO. K7

1QQQ_K7

1940-57

1950

1935

1932

19351QAQ

192319431944

1954

19481949

1943

1951

19261944

1944

1956

1945

1943

in/iq1 Q/l r

1949

1Q43

1QJQ

1951

1Q4°.

1951

May 16

May 16

May 17May 16

-_-do,____

May 16

May 17

May 20

May 21

May 25

May 25

June 15

June 23

June 27

June 13

June 13

June 12

June 15

June 12

May 21

June 13

June 16

June 16

May 25

May 21

May 25

20.4421.6116.512.9818.58

32.028.7234.5818.015.2219.5317.5417.1022.8

20.0021.53

766.65771. 08«31.5

8 28. 5311.0840.4431.22

745. 42764.87640.2« 39. 45

33.9230.5826.81

6.3538.82

29.6955.0546.5129.621.6629.0035.0634.4231.6829.0354.9352.7534.0320.2243.443.427.00-11.78.058.21

28.424.72

754.96755. 27

3,890

16, 30018, 800

(2)51, 500

158, 0003,750

16, 500

(3)11, 10075, 200

(2)65, 300

149, 00018, 00016, 400

(2)173, 000

235, 000s 16. 58523.72

26, 00017, 30017, 3001,880

137,00031. 500

s 100. 3' 293. 4

51, 0009,240

36, 40015, 600

17433,80038,500

36,700182, 00068,500

(2)

15,60025, 40014, 20013, 20086,50031, 400

224,00085,900

267, 00041,000

(2)

190,00056, 000

C2)

4,6005,760

137, 00070, 800i 2, 1955 2, 213

6.8

4.5

19.8

4.1

8.0

2.4

.......4

.8

.5

1.1

1.2

1.3

1.3

2.9

1.6

2.0

1.5

1.3

1.4

3.1

3.8




Sta tion


Drainage area

(sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before April 1957

Period Year

April- June 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

to02.33


jg

59 --

10

U -

19

3

4

5

6 -

7

8

9

o

9

0

5

6

7 -

8

9 -

0

1 .

2

3 .

Gibson, Okla.

son, Okla.

Eldon, Okla.

Gore, Okla.

Gore, Okla.

Norman, Okla.

Krebs, Okla.

Supply Okla.

Whitefleld, Okla.

10,335

466

229

19 J.Q9

635

110

307

1,610

1 9fl 198

OK7

456

865

1 23, 151

588

i 1, 386

1 1, 498

i 9, 391

fiQ

2,018

i 37, 876

1939-57

1944 57

1833-1957

1950-57

1955-57

1Qf\'\_ {\7

1935-57

19451948-57

1924 26,1939-57

19141944-57

19321943-57

1905-341935 57

1942-57

1937-57

19231937-57

1955-57

1938-57

1898-1957

1943

1943

19431945

1951

1951

1943

1950

1956

1956

1950

19451950

1955

1QCK

IQOO

1950

1QKA

1951

1950

(2)1939

1Q93

1945

1956

1943

1943

May 25

May 25

Apr. 3

Apr. 3

May 26

May 25

May 18

May 18

Apr. 27 Apr. 28__

May 25-

May 26.

Mav 1

37.634.9627.8120.4

19.41562. 50581. 68

43.0

37.60

48.20

16.714.3613.0524.738.42

11.5227.94

23.819.5120.33

666. 36

29.6

13.70

14.6011. 3C13.4528.85

25.58

18.8433.4829.80

17.3514.1031.9

28.7 8.1

10.02, 024. 82, 026. 53

15.611.607.71

26.4015.0010.1813.13 3A K.f\

29.75

18.2

300,000180, 00063,000

(2)17,50015,700

51,268.0

400,000133, 000223, 000

366, 000

10,8008,650

49,0001,3708,780

55,400(2)

31,00037,600

5 646. 96 1217. 6

180,000

(2)150,00040,600

26, 500(2)

174, 000134, 00070, 00017,400

81, 600'97.:« 97. 93

(2)14, 2005,020

(2)66, 00039, 400

4,41066, 80030, 300

176, 000

2.2

2.2

2.3

2.3

1.8

1.9

2.6

1.8

2.2

3.5

.5

1.1

4.8

3.2

1.8

1.6

1.4

9.6

.6

2.4

1.3

1.2

1.4


C34 FLOODS OF 1957

TABLE 7.- -Flood stages and discharges during April-June in Oklahoma and western Arkansas Continued

Sta tion


Drainage area

(sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before April 1957

Period Year

April- June 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsKatio

toQ2.33


64

65

66

67 -

68

69

70-

71

72

73

74

75

76-

77

78 .

79-

Sallisaw, Okla.

Sallisaw, Okla.

Red Oak, Okla.

near Wister, Okla.

Wister, Okla.

Creek, Ark.Lee Creek at Natural

Dam, Ark. Lee Creek near Van

Buren, Ark.

Frog Bayou near Mountainburg,Ark.

Rudy, Ark.

Mulberry, Ark.

Dover, Ark.

Dardanelle, Ark.

182

1 125, 516

9rtn

loo

993

QQQ

36.9

168

427

74

917

079

274

i 131, 466

1942-57

1940-571946-57

1938-57

1935H57

1949-57

1935-571938-57

1950-57

1930-57

1833-1957

1936-57

1945-57

1927-57

19271 0^9 *\7

1949-57

IfiCft-IQ*?

1945

19431950

19351949

19351942

1950

19351945

1950

1945

19451943

1945

1Q4K

1927

1927

1Q4.Q

1Q43

May 27.

May 23-

Apr. 26..

May 27-

May 27.

Apr. 3 ...do-.

Apr. 3 _

May 28-

May 23.

May 23.

Apr. 3

Apr. 3...

Apr. 3

May 30

e 11. 2516.5037.9031.0434.8027.423.3418.7325.422.3419.02

495. 11505. 73838.5« 37. 16214. 4110.5013.50

35.029.3738.10

36.431.06 30.28

18.518.0422.015.7014.710.715.1 25.620.3734.133.6

110,00038, 400

(»)442, 000544, 000

(")31, 00010, 300

(2)26, 30014, 300

« 278. 05 507. 4

(2)78,60011, 0309,510

20, 50051, 800

112,00073, 200

850, 000510, 000

17, 300 13, 700

39, 50036, 20059, 00028, 80014, 5007,600

15, 300 80, 00044, 000

683, 000471, 000

2.4

1.9

.9

1.7

.4

3.53.4

2.6

1.8"~~~2.~2

3.0

1.7

2.1

2.1

1.7

Red River basin

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

Salt Fork Red River

TexSalt Fork Red River

at Mangum, Okla.

North Fork Red

Okla.

North Fork RedRiver below Altus Dam, near Lugert, Okla.

Hobart, Okla.

North Fork RedRiver near Head- rick, Okla.

Otter Creek at Snyder Lake, near Mountain Park.Okla.

1 1, 013

i 1, 357

i \ 938'

549

i 3, 845

132

19381 AGO C7

inncAfi

1937-57

1Q44- *\7

1944 57

1QOO

1930-32, 1950-57

1949-57

1927-57

1903-08, 1951-57

1QOO

1954

1938

19511954

1951

19281951

1955

( )

May 16

May 16

May 17

May 4

May 18

17.516.0019.0014.7

14.55

11.2411.95

1, 559. 53614.5

12.70

30.75

25. 7816.1

9.3619.50

15.73

(2)95,900

146, 00060, 000

72, 00018, 300

25, 300« 167. 0s 146. 4

14, 30016, 100

13122, 400

4,57085,000

20, 10014, 200

4,240

11.5

4.5

2.3

--

1.0

1.2

1.5




Sta tion


Drainage area

(sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before April 1957

Period Year

April- June 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

toQ2.33

Red River basin Continued

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104 -

105

106

107 -

108 -

109

110----

111- -

112- -

113

East Cache Creek near Elgin, Okla.

Cache Creek near Walters, Okla.

Deep Red Run near Randlett, Okla.

Little Beaver Creek near Duncan, Okla.

Beaver Creek near Waurika, Okla.

Red River near Terral, Okla.

Walnut Creek near Lone Grove, Okla.

Red River near Gainesville, Tex.

Washita River at Carnegie, Okla.

Pond Creek near Fort Cobb, Okla.

Sugar Creek near Gracemont, Okla.

Little Washita River at Ninnikah, Okla.

Criner Creek near Payne, Okla.

Washita River near Pauls Valley, Okla.

Rush Creek near Maysville, Okla.

Rock Creek at Dougherty, Okla.

Washita River near Durwood, Okla.

Lake Texoma near Denison, Tex.

Red River near Col- bert, Okla.

Blue River near Blue, Okla.

North Boggy Creek near Stringtown, Okla.

Chickasaw Creek near Stringtown, Okla.

McGee Creek near Stringtown, Okla.

Muddy Boggy Creek near Farris, Okla.

Clear Boggy Creek near Caney, Okla.

Red River at Arthur City, Tex.

248

675

617

158

563

1 22, 787

133

i 28, 846

11 3, 129

319

211

227

55

5,330

206

138

7,202

i 33, 783

i 33, 841

478

139

32.5

84.5

1,087

720

i 38, 595

1955-57

1938-57"

1908-57" 1949-57

1948-57

1889-1957

1938-57

1936-57

1903-57 1938-57

1937 1939-57

1955-57

1951-57

1937-57

1953-57

1956-57

1927-57

1942-57

1906-57 1923-57

1936^57

1955-57

1955-57

1956-57

1937-57

1938 1942-57

1891-1957

1955

1951

1908 1951

1955

1951

1941

1941 1951

1903 1949

1937 1949

1955

1952 1955

1950

1955

1956

1941 1943

1945

1908 1935 1942

1938

1957

1957

1957

1945

1938 1946

1908

May 25

May 26

May 20

May 25

May 26

June 4 May 17

June 5

Apr. 24

Apr. 21

Apr. 23 June 2

May 24 May 17

May 18

May 18

May 17 May 18

May 19

June 5

June 5

May 25 "AprV's"

Apr. 26

Apr. 26

Apr. 26

May 25

June 6

27.5134.10 29.72 28.80 (9) 27.1023.74 19.46 19.74

22.7 21.82

22.72

26.5310 25. 14

6 29 26.2121.41 19.3 18.7214.08 8.2 7.7

22.20

29.88 27.34 16.1223.62

5.60

12 16. 80 44.37

42.30 629. 07643. 18 45.5

32.626.26 31.8129.43 15.02 17.87

12.98 20.18

8.97 16.79 44.94 40.40 26.9 26.77 24.02 43.2 28.35

13,30020,400 28, 200 15, 000

( 2) 20,3008,050

39,800 47, 500

65, 300 22,500

197, 000110, 000 363,000

168, 000

102, 000 (2)

50,00012,600

(2) 35,0001,550

905

620

4,86025, 200 12.600

30,000 35,800 13,70038, 500 2,260

25, 600

91,30098, 000 « 4, 295. 055,991.3

(2) 201,000

102, 000 34, 40014, 300 2,610 7,600

3,120 12,300

3,220 10,200 61,900 26,600

(2) 52,800 19,000

100,000 136,000

4.

1.

.

9.

1.

1. 1.

1.

1.

3.5.

2.

6.

5.

3.

1.

1." 1.

1.

3.

1.

1.

I.


C36 FLOODS OF 1957

TABLE 7. Flood stages and discharges during April June in Oklahoma and westernArkansas Continued

Sta tion


Drainage area

(sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before April 1957

Period Year

April- June 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

toQ2.33

Red River basin Continued

114--

115- -

116 ~

Miller, Okla.Kiamichi River near

Belzoni, Okla.

Red River at Index,Ark.

68

1,423

i 42, 094

1955-57

19151925-57

1917-57

1957

19151938

1938

May 25

May 26

June 8

12.8719.0344.244.037.6034.2529.3

1,7004,150

<»)71,40040,500

297,000154, 000

.7

1.61.2

i Contributing area only.' Unknown.» Field estimate.1 Not necessarily maximum for the period.5 Contents in thousands of acre-feet.6 Former site and (or) datum.7 Includes that of Rock Creek.8 Date unknown; sometime prior to 1927. » Exceeded 27 ft.10 Affected by backwater from Lake Texoma.11 Includes that of Running Creek.12 Affected by backwater from Washita River.

ARKANSAS RIVER TRIBUTARY BASINS IN EASTERN OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN ARKANSAS

The first flooding occurred on small streams in northwestern Arkansas and northeastern Oklahoma following the heavy rains of April 3 and 4. Stages rose quickly from normal and reached a peak on April 3. The principal floods occurred on the Illinois River above Tenkiller Reservoir and on small tributaries of the Arkansas River in western Arkansas. The floods at stream gaging stations on the Barren Fork and upper Illinois River in Oklahoma and on Cove, Lee, Spadra, and Piney Creeks in Arkansas were maxima for the period of record. According to local residents, the flood on upper Lee Creek was the greatest since at least 1890. Streams again reached flood stage fol lowing the heavy rains of May 22-26, and the floods extended over a wider area than those of April. Pryor and Flint Creeks in Oklahoma, Lost Creek in Missouri, and Frog Bayou at Rudy in Arkansas had maximum discharges during the period of gaging station records. Lake O'The Cherokees on the Neosho River and Wister Reservoir on the Poteau River reached their maximum content as they held back flood-waters from the already swollen major streams. Tenkiller Ferry Reservoir on the Illinois River reached its maximum content on June 5 owing to the heavy runoff during the latter part of May.

Heavy rains on June 12 in northeastern Oklahoma caused rapid rises in streams that were receding from the previous rise. Backwater from the Caney River caused some flooding at Bartlesville, and Bird


Creek rose rapidly after a cloudburst. Bird Creek at Avant reached maximum known discharge on June 12, and the Verdigris River near Inola reached a stage on June 16 about 2.2 feet less than the maximum known, although the discharge was much less than that of previous floods. Both Hulah Reservoir on Caney River and Fort Gibson Reservoir on the Neosho River filled to their maximum content as they retarded the flood flows.

CIMARRON, CANADIAN, AND MAINSTEM ARKANSAS RIVER BASINS

Floods during April were scattered, and flood stages occurred at only a few stations. Rains of April 21-23 caused only minor rises on the Cimarron River below Waynoka, Okla., and on small tributaries in the Arkansas River basin between Sallisaw, Okla., and Van Buren, Ark.

Severe to record flooding in many streams followed the generally heavy thunderstorms that occurred May 15-16 over an extensive area in western and central Oklahoma and that centered near Hennessey. Preacher Creek reached a maximum stage at about 11 p.m. on May 15, exceeding any stage known since at least 1918. The entire population of Dover was evacuated as flood waters engulfed the city from the overflow of Turkey Creek. The maximum known discharge of this stream occurred at the gaging station near Drummond. The greatest flood of record on the Cimarron River below Mocane occurred on May 16 and 17. The crest at Waynoka during the afternoon of May 16 was about 1 foot higher than the previous known maximum stage of about 14 feet, which occurred in 1914. The newly opened State highway bridge, on which the gage was located, was partly destroyed shortly before the crest of the flood arrived. The flood crest reached Guthrie early in the morning of May 17 and exceeded by about 5% feet the stage of 12.98 feet in 1949 (peak discharge, three times that of 1949) and exceeded by about 2 feet the stage of 1935 (discharge unknown). Water reached 3-foot depths along the main street of Coyle farther downstream, and several families in the area had to leave their homes. The flood reached Perkins by the evening of May 17, and its stage exceeded that of the record flood of 1926 by 2% feet. The crest at Perkins was further swollen by the flow from Skeleton Creek, a major tributary below Guthrie, which reached a maximum stage on the afternoon of May 16.

Flood waters of the Cimarron River combined with those of the Arkansas River from Kansas produced two crests at Tulsa. The first crest on the morning of May 19, reached a stage of 20.35 feet, and the second on the afternoon of May 21, reached a stage of 21.53 feet. This latter crest produced the maximum discharge for the period of gaging station record, although the stage was not as great as that reached

C38 FLOODS OF 1957

in 1923 prior to the start of streamflow records. There was no serious flooding in the city of Tulsa or vicinity.

Moderate to severe flooding occurred on the Arkansas River below Tulsa. The entire population of Bixby, 19 miles downstream, was evacuated on the evening of May 18. The gaging station near Sallisaw, Okla., had a stage about 3 feet lower than the maximum known stage since 1940 and had the maximum discharge since the start of streamflow records. The town of Moffett, Okla., across the Arkansas River from Fort Smith, Ark., was completely evacuated on May 25-31 and was inundated by nearly 5 feet of water causing substantial losses to residential and commercial properties. Urban areas in Fort Smith and Van Buren, Ark. were not affected because of their levees.

Flooding on the Canadian River was not severe in May. Maximum discharge was reached at Little River below Hog Creek near Norman, where the flow was almost six times the previous maximum known since the gaging station was established in 1952. The gaging station downstream near Tecumseh had a peak discharge equal to the pre vious maximum discharge since at least 1943 at a gage height of almost a foot less. Farther downstream near Sasakwa the flood crest was lower than the previously known maximum.

The Arkansas River at Ralston rose briefly to flood stage in the middle of June, only to recede and return to flood stage again near the end of the month. The reach of the Arkansas River from Muskogee, Okla., to Dardanelle, Ark., was above flood stage for the entire month.

The most noteworthy flood occurred on Wolf Creek in the North Canadian River basin on June 23. Heavy rains during the night of June 22 gave rise to sudden flooding on Wolf Creek, which destroyed the county bridge to which the gage was attached. The peak discharge of Wolf Creek near Fargo exceeded any previously known by about 3% times and was the greatest known since at least 1913, on the basis of information furnished by local residents. Fort Supply Reservoir reached its maximum content on June 25 when the stage rose to within \% feet of spillway crest.

RED RIVER BASIN

Flooding in the Red River basin was generally confined to the last half of May, although several streams reached their annual peak during the last half of April or the first week in May.

Maximum stages occurred on the Salt Fork Red River near Welling ton, Tex., and at Mangum, Okla., on May 16 from heavy rains that fell over the Texas Panhandle on the previous day. The North Fork Red River reached a record stage on May 17, partly destroying the U.S. Highway 66 bridge near Sayre. In the Washita River basin, maximum discharges were reached at Pauls Valley on May 18 and at


Durwood on May 19, although stages were 2-3 feet lower than those of previously recorded floods. The towns of Lindsay, Alex, and Pauls Valley were inundated. Flood crests on Rush and Rock Creeks added to the already swollen Washita River near Durwood.

East Cache and Little Beaver Creeks and the Little Washita River reached maximum stages and discharges after the heavy rains during the night of May 24, and the lower Washita River again had minor flooding.

Flooding on the Red River above Lake Texoma was not serious. No unusually high stages occurred on the lower Red River, although abnormally high flows persisted for unusually long periods from late May through mid-June, causing considerable damage to roads and levees. During the latter part of May, Lake Texoma was no longer able to store the tremendous volume of inflow and spilled over the uncontrolled spillway for the first time since regulated storage began in 1943.

Streams in southeastern Oklahoma, tributary to the Red River, experienced no record flooding but had a series of moderate peaks throughout the period. North Boggy, Chickasaw, and McGee Creeks had maximum flows during April; these flows, however, were not significant, as record had been obtained for only a short period. Other streams in the area reached their annual peak after the flood period.

RECORDS OF PREVIOUS FLOODS

Oklahoma and western Arkansas are a part of the southern Great Plains, in a region where spring and summer thunderstorms often cause floods. Local intense rains which cause floods in scattered small areas are annual occurrences. Because these storms are scat tered, major flooding occurs often in only parts of the long and rela tively narrow drainage basins.

Information on early floods is meager, because records of streamflow are generally less than 20 years in length. A few records date from about 1925> but most date from 1938 or later. The Weather Bureau collected some stage records before gaging stations were established by the Survey or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Some information on historic floods, based on floodmarks or elevations known by local residents, has been collected.

The earliest records of flood stages in the area covered by this report are those on the Arkansas River. Flood stage near Muskogee in June 1833 is known to be probably similar to that of May 21, 1943, the maximum for the period of gaging station record. At Fort Smith, Ark., the flood of 1833 was referenced to a Weather Bureau gage. Spring River, in northeast Oklahoma, reached a stage in 1943 known to be similar to that reached in December 1895. On the

C40 FLOODS OF 1957

Neosho River, to which Spring River is tributary, the flood of 1895 is known to be one of the major floods.

In southwestern Oklahoma, the North Fork Red River is known to have had a major flood in 1903, whereas on the lower Washita, in south-central Oklahoma, a major flood occurred in May 1908.

The flood of May 1914 on the Canadian River at Bridgeport was one of the major floods, although a higher stage may have occurred during the flood of October 1904. The flood of 1904 is known to be the maximum of record at upstream sites in Texas and New Mexico, however, this is not the case at downstream sites in Oklahoma. The maximum stage known since 1898 near Whitefield occurred in May 1943.

A major flood occurred in May 1914 on the Cimarron River in the panhandle and northwestern part of Oklahoma. This flood still represents the maximum known stage at the gaging station near Mocane, and near Waynoka it was approximately equaled by the flood of May 1935 and exceeded only by the current flood. No reference has been found to the flood of 1914 at downstream stations on the Cimarron River, where, prior to the current flood, the station near Guthrie reached a stage of 16.5 feet in May 1935 and the station at Perkins reached a stage of 17 feet in October 1926.

More recent major floods, since continuous gaging-station records have been kept, occurred in May 1943 and May 1951. More in formation became available on the floods of May 1943 than for any previous flood in Oklahoma because of a growing interest in flood control and expanded activities in collecting streamflow records by the Geological Survey and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

In May 1943, eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas were swept by two very unusual, if not unprecedented, storms that produced flood stages far in excess of any previously recorded during gaging- station operation in many streams and in some streams were in excess of any previously known. All larger streams in eastern Okla homa reached unusually high stages following the storm of May 7-11, 1957. Streams in northeastern Oklahoma rose again to record- breaking stages at many points following the storm of May 15^-20, 1957. Unusually high discharges, equaling or exceeding those of previous years, occurred in the lower reaches of all major streams in the storm area.

On the Verdigris River and its tributaries, Caney River, and Bird Creek, stages and discharges in 1943 were higher than any previously known. These maxima have not been subsequently exceeded except at Caney River near Hulah, whose peak was exceeded in 1944. In the Neosho River basin, maxima were reached in 1943 at Commerce and Langley, whereas the Elk River, a tributary from southwestern


Missouri, did not reach a peak as high as that of 1941. The 1943 maximum at Commerce was exceeded in July 1951. In 1943, maxima also occurred at stations on the Arkansas River from Ralston, Okla., to Little Rock, Ark., on its smaller tributaries in eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas, and on the lower Canadian River and its tributaries. The peak discharges of many of the small tribu taries were exceeded by subsequent floods and were not further exceeded in 1957. The maximum of 1943 at Ralston was exceeded the very next year, whereas at Tulsa the maximum of 1943 was not exceeded until 1957. At other stations on the main stem of the Arkansas River, the flood of 1943 has not been exceeded. The floods of 1943 did not extend westward to the Cimarron River and its tributaries.

The flood of March-April 1945 was outstanding in some parts of this report area. Maximum discharges for period of record were recorded on Sallisaw Creek and Barren Fork in eastern Oklahoma, Frog Bayou and Mulberry Creek in west central Arkansas, and on Little River in southeast Oklahoma and southwest Arkansas. This flood is the greatest known on Sallisaw Creek and Barren Fork in Oklahoma and lower Lee Creek near Van Buren, Ark.

A noteworthy flood occurred in 1951 in some areas of western Oklahoma and has been reported by the U.S. Geological Survey (1954). Recurrent heavy thunderstorms during the period May 13-19 resulted in floods of unusual magnitude over a wide area in western Oklahoma, northwestern Texas, and parts of Kansas and Colorado. Major flooding occurred in the upper parts of the Cimar ron, North Canadian, and Canadian Rivers and on the Red River and some tributaries above Terral, Okla. At several sites, maxima were established in 1951 which were exceeded by isolated floods in subsequent years.

Some isolated floods were caused by the following small intense storms: The Hammon storm in April 1934, causing the maximum flood on Washita River at Clinton; the Cleveland storm in September 1940, causing a dam failure at Lake Cleveland; the Hydro storm in June 1948, causing severe flooding on Deer Creek and producing the maximum of record on Canadian River at Bridgeport; and the Cheyenne storm in April 1954, causing the maximum of record on the Washita River near Cheyenne and flooding on Rush Creek.

FREQUENCY OF PEAK DISCHARGES

A flood-frequency report (Patterson, 1963) covers the area affected by the floods of April-June 1957. The discharge stations given in this flood report are classified by the frequency report into 4 flood regions and 4 main stem streams. Most of the stations are in three flood regions, defined as A, B, and E, in the frequency report, and

C42 FLOODS OF 1957

are considered representative of the total stations in the flood report.Each flood region has similar flood-frequency characteristics where

by the ratio of a given discharge to the mean annual flood defines the recurrence interval, in years (fig. 16), for the discharge at stations in a given region.

The ratio of the peak discharge of the 1957 flood, at a given station, to the mean annual flood is given in the last column of table 7. The region in which a station is located can be determined from the list given on figure 16, and from these two values the recurrence interval, in years, of the flood peak can be determined.

5.0

1.2 1.5 2 3 4 5 6 8 10 15 RECURRENCE INTERVAL, IN YEARS

FIGURE 16. Recurrence intervals of discharges at stations in flood regions A, B, and E, Oklahoma andwestern Arkansas.

Region Defines relationship for station numbers (table 7): A_____...__........... 34-36, 44-48, 64, 80-82, 85, 87-90.B........_..........._ 66, 67, 70-72, 74-78, 103,107-112.E......................... 2-18, 22, 25, 27-33, 39, 40, 52-54, 56, 57, 60-62, 91, 92, 94, 97-100,102


FLOODS OF MAY 9 NEAR DENVER, COLO.

Floods of considerable magnitude occurred on May 9 in the Denver area and on tributaries of the South Platte River farther downstream (fig. 17). The flooding occurred as the result of heavy rainfall. At the Denver airport, Weather Bureau records show that 3.26 inches of rain fell from 3 p.m. on May 8 to 10 a.m. on May 9. In the Sand Creek basin, higher stages .occurred than had been experienced for many years. The peak discharge of Sand Creek at the northeast edge of Denver was 25,500 cfs. The drainage area of Toll Gate Creek at East 6th Avenue near Aurora, 4K miles upstream from its mouth, is 35.8 square miles, less than 20 percent of that of Sand Creek; how ever, it produced a peak discharge of 10,400 cfs. Considerable damage was done to homes and cultivated lands along the stream channels. Three persons living near Toll Gate Creek were drowned.

After the flood in Sand Creek reached the South Platte River, the peak discharge decreased rapidly. The peak discharge at the Hender- son gaging station was 14,800 cfs (table 8), which exceeded the pre vious maximum in a 31-year record by 38 percent. Considerable overbank flow occurred along the South Platte River downstream from Denver and caused damage to cropland; also many cattle and other livestock were drowned.

St. Vrain Creek, which enters the South Platte River from the west, reached the highest stage since the maximum of record occured in September 1938. Homes built close to the stream and croplands were damaged. More than 100 feet of the railroad between Lyons and Longmont was washed out.

TABLE 8. Flood stages and discharges during May 9 in Platte River basin nearDenver, Colo.

Station

1_

2 -3--

4 -

5 -

6 -


Sand Creek above Toll Gate Creek near Aurora.

Toll Gate Creek near Aurora __ Sand Creek below Toll Gate

Creek at Denver. South Platte River at Hender-

son. South Platte River at Fort

Lupton.

St. Vrain Creek at mouth near Platteville.

Drainage area

(sq mi)

122

35.8 196

4,740

5,070

1,000

Maximum floods

Before May 1957

Period

1926-57

1906, 1929-57

igotoe,1915, 1927-57

Year

1942

1942

1938

May 9, 1957

Gage height

(ft)

19.40 11.35 17.24

7.57 8.93

8.15

Discharge

Cfs

7,660

10,40025, 500

10, 700 14, 800 9,000

8,480 11, 300

9,450

Ratio to02.33

At different site or datum. 690184 O 63 4

C44 FLOODS OF 1957

o Platteville EXPLANATION


given in table 8

FIOUKE 17. Map showing location of flood-determination points. Flood of May 9 near Denver, Colo.

In Denver many homes were flooded, and people were evacuated. Streets and highways were inundated by the heavy runoff which exceeded the capacity of the storm drains in some areas. The city of Denver and the counties of Adams, Arapahoe, and Weld were declared disaster areas in order to make flood-stricken residents eligible for Federal rehabilitation loans.

FLOODS OF MAY 16-17 IN KANSAS

The most widespread floods in Kansas since 1951 occurred in May 1957. Practically all streams reached bankfull or higher

SUMMARY OF 1957 FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 045

stages at some time during the month. Record-breaking floods (table 9) were recorded in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas, Ninnescah, and Chikaskia Rivers (fig. 18).

INDEX MAP

EXPLANATION

.3


given in table 9

FIGUEE 18. Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points. Floods of May 16-17 in

TABLE 9. Flood stages and discharges during May 16-17 in Ark ansas Riverbasin, Kansas

Station

I.. ..

2 -

3._ ~

4-

5 .

6 -


Little Arkansas River at Valley Center.

Arkansas River at Wichita.

North Fork Nin nescah River near Cheney.

South Fork Nin nescah River near Murdock.

Ninnescah River near Peck.

Chikaskia River near Corbin.

Drainage area

(sq mi)

1,327

40, 420

930

650

2,129

794

Maximum floods

Before May 1957

Period

1877-1957

1877 1934-57

1950-57

1950-57

1923-57 1937-57

1923-57 1950-57

Year

1945

1877 1951

1951

1951

1923 1951

1923 1951

May 1957

May 17

May 17

May 16

May 16

May 17

May 17

Gage height

(ft)

22.05 19.75

21 13.38 14.68 14.38 15.09

10.03 11.86

26.4 20.73 21.85 28 22.50 22.31

Discharge

Cfs

32,000 1 19, 800

(2) 27,600

3 30, 700 14,800 23,700

7,080 23,600

(2) 25,100 38, 200

(2) 35,100 38,100

Ratio toQj.SJ

2.9

2.8

4.6

3.9

4.2

5.5

1 Total discharge; 15,300 cfs in river, 4,460 cfs in flood way.2 Not determined.3 Total discharge; 21,400 cfs in river, 9,280 cfs in Big Slough-Cowskin floodway.

046 FLOODS OF 1957

Frequent precipitation after April 30 raised most stream-levels and created a flood potential. High soil-moisture content set the stage for high runoff rates. The precipitation that was the immedi ate cause of the midmonth floods was mostly evenly distributed in amount and location and was intense in only a few locations.

The State Highway Commission reported 45 road closures in the flooded areas of south-central Kansas. Heavy damage was caused to crops. In the Wichita area, a newly completed flood control project operated sucessfully, and one-third of the peak discharge of the Arkansas River in Witchita bypassed the river gage through the Big Slough-Cowskin floodway.

FLOODS OF MAY 17, 21-23 IN SOUTHEASTERN MISSOURI

Heavy rainfall on May 17 and 21-23 in southeastern Missouri (fig. 19) caused flooding of many thousands of acres of farmland and damage of several million dollars.

The rainfall on May 17 amounted to as much as 3.5 inches in part of the flood area and that on May 21-23 totaled from 3 to 4 inches, with 1.15 inches recorded in 15 minutes at one site.

Maximum discharge and stage during period of operation occurred

20 20 40 MILES

EXPLANATION

* i i i i i_____i____i Gaging station

Numbers correspond to those given in table 10

FIGURE 19. Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points. Floods of May 17, 21-23in southeastern Missouri.


at several gaging stations, principally on those having small drainage areas (table 10).

The peak discharge on Castor River at Aquilla was about that of a 50-year flood. The peak discharge on Little Beaver Creek near Holla was much greater than that of a 50-year flood, and the peak stage is known to have been the maximum since 1882.

No recurrence intervals can be applied to streams of small drainage areas in this region, but it is apparent the floods on the small streams were of rare occurrence.

TABLE 10. Flood stages and discharges during May 17 and 21-23 in southeasternMissouri



area (sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before May 1957

Period Year

May 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

toQ2.33

Osage River basin

1 2.. ...

3

4. -

Pomme de Terre

Preston.

near Meta.

99 c

3.85

.75

257

1950-571Q«v-K7

--.-.do,....

19371947-57

1QK1

19371950

May 22

May 17

10 7

15.889.56

7.45

99 R

18.21

9 KCfi

12,9001,400

1,200

0)

20, 000

1.8

1.4

Gasconade River basin

5. ... Little Beaver Creek near Rolla.

6.41 1882-1957 1947-57

1945 1950

May 21

7.5 6.66 7.57

(') 4,180 5,040 4.7

Meramec River basin

6. Bourbeuse River near St. James.

21.3 1947-57 1949May 21

11.08 10.09

8,250 6,330 1.1

St. Francis River basin

7

8

9.

Frederick townClark Creek near

Piedmont.

4 03

4 1Q

1955-57

1 Q ̂ A ̂ 7

1QAK K7

1QKC

1QJ K

1950

May 21May 22

May 23

7.199.626.10

14.213.4514.00

9005,5501,400

«3,4304,100 1.6

White River basin

10 246 1909IQ^PL,^?

IQfiQ

1956May 23

15.2015.57

«12,40014, 100 1.9

1 Not determined.

C48 FLOODS OF 1957

FLOODS OP MAY AND JUNE IN IDAHO

Flooding occurred along several tributaries and the main stem in the lower Clearwater River basin on May 20. Record-breaking floods occurred in several streams in southeastern Idaho on May 26 and on June 6-8 (fig. 20).

Winter and early spring precipitation and snow cover were not abnormally high. Snow survey reports by the U.S. Weather Bureau, and the Soil Conservation Service indicated that snow packs were about average on May 1, except for those at high elevations which were generally above average. Soil moisture on the watersheds,

r EXPLANATION

Gaging station1 Numbers correspond to those 1 given in table 12

50 50 100 MILES

FIOURK 20. Map showing location of flood-determination points. Floods of May-June in Idaho.


however, was reported to be considerably above average in May. Rainfall during May was the highest in more than 40 years at many sites in the State. It exceeded the long-term means by more than 4 inches at several weather stations and was from 2 to 3 times the mean (table 11).

TABLE 11. Precipitation at representative locations during May floods in Idaho

Stream

Do.. Do.- . . ------Do..

Teton River...- - Blackfoot River...-

Do.. - .

Climatic Station

Fenn R. S - _ _

Altitude (ft)

1,600 3,355 3,411 1,190 2,910 4,968 6,200 4,5035,066 3,949

Precipitation, in inches

May 18- 21, 1957

2.76 2.60 1.45 2.72 2.86

Monthly May totals

1957

5.18 8.24 5.32 4.39 5.17 4.23 4.98 2.88 2.60 2.51

Normal

2.99 3.15 2.62 2.20

1.54 1.63 1.32 1.10 1.28

The flood in Blackfoot River on May 26 was caused, to a large extent, by excessive rain falling on saturated ground. The runoff from the rainfall, augmented by the snowmelt, resulted in a peak discharge that was the highest in 45 years of record at the gaging station at Blackfoot (table 12). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reported that about 1,340 cfs was being released from Blackfoot- Marsh Reservoir at the time of the peak. At this same time about 1,300 cfs was being lost above the gaging station to canal diversions and percolation.

General flooding occurred in the Teton River basin in the extreme eastern part of Idaho and in Pahsimeroi and Lemhi valleys in the headwaters of the Salmon River basin June 6-8. Various reports state that the area covered by snow was unusually large and that considerable water was stored in the snow fields at high elevations at the end of May. Increased temperatures on June 2-5 combined with wet soil and a large snow pack caused high peak discharges in these areas. Peak discharge at the gaging station on Teton River near St. Anthony was the highest recorded since 1909. This was also true for Pahsimeroi River near May. The peak discharge of Lemhi River near Lemhi was reported to be the highest in at least 34 years.

Clearwater River at Spalding reached a flood peak on May 20 which was exceeded only by the floods of May 1948 and December 1933 in 35 years. South Fork Clearwater River near Grangeville reached a stage which was exceeded in 45 years only by the floods of

C50 FLOODS OF 1957

TABLE 12. Flood stages and discharges during May and June in Idaho



area (sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before May 1957

Period Year

May- June 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

toQi.33

Henrys Fork

1.. .. Teton River near St. Anthony.

890 1890-93, 1903-09 1920-57

1893

June 6

'6.90

7.03

5,830

4,660 6.8

Blackfoot River basin

2 ...... Blackfoot River near Blackfoot.

1,295 1913-57 1921May 26 7.04

868 2 1, 040

Salmon River basin

3. ...

4.......

Pahsimeroi River near May.

Lemhi River near Lemhi.

845

890

1930-57

1939, 1955-57

1943 1956

1956June 8

June 7

34.373.91 3.51

4.48

454

796 1,090

1,840

2.3

3.2

Clear water River basin

5.......

6 __.

7- ..-

8. ...

9.......

water River near Granger ville.

Kamiah.

Ahsahka.

Kendrick.

Spalding.

865

2 440'

425

9 C7A

1911-17,1923-57

1Q11 >!7

1 Q97 ^7

1945-57

1927-57

1917

1948

iQqq

1948

1Q4K

May 20

May 20

May 20

May 20

May 20

13.6

10.0919.22

.15.853<; ^21.47

10.823.7621.42

15,000

8,910

71,200

40,600

13,0008,500

177 000143, 000

1.9

1.3

1.3

1.4

1.5

1 At different site and datum.2 About 1,300 cfs diverted above station.s Affected by backwater from the Salmon River.

1912, 1917, and 1948. The major tributaries of the Clearwater River which flow in from the east, were only moderately high during the flood. The heavy rains at lower elevations in the Clearwater basin in the Grangeville-Kamiah area caused floods in some tribu taries. Cottonwood, Clear, Lawyers, Lolo, Orofino, Big Canyon, and Lapwai Creeks were reported by local residents and by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to be at the highest stages in many years.

Flood damage in the Teton River basin amounted to "about $100,000, of which the greatest amount was to agricultural property and $20,000 to railroads, county roads, and highways.

In the Blackfoot River basin, the total damage was estimated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at $100,000, of which $31,000 was


damage to the Fort Hall Indian Reservation. Damage to agricul tural properties accounted for the major part of the total. Highways and railroads sustained minor damage.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimated the damage to agri cultural lands and to roads in the Lemhi River Valley at $135,000. Most ot the damage was to crops, irrigation structures, fences, and farm bridges and included extensive erosion and siltation damage.

Some flooding occurred on Clearwater River, but the major damage was along tributaries in the basin. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimated damage at $118,000 for the lumbering industries. Damage to highways and railways consisted of washed-out roadways and destroyed bridges and amounted to $165,000. Residential damage amounted to $33,000 in the towns' of Lewiston, Orofino, and Stites.

FLOODS OF JUNE 5-7 ON GBEYBULL RIVER, WYO.

The warm weather early in June increased the melting of the heaviest snow pack in years in the area southwest of Meeteetse, Wyo. (fig. 21). Official Weather Bureau records do not show much precipi tation, but there were reports of short, intense, and localized storm activity on June 5 that augmented the runoff.

109° 108°

WYOMING

EXPLANATION


given in table 13

INDEX MAPFIGXIRE 21. Map showing location of flood-determination points. Floods of June 5-7 on Greybull Riyer,

Wyo.

C52 FLOODS OF 1957

Four gaging stations in the Greybull River basin and one on Dry Creek, the adjacent basin to the north, had maximum or near maxi mum discharges for their perio4s of record (table 13).

Considerable flooding and damage occurred along the lower 20 miles of the Greybull River June 5-7. The Weather Bureau and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reported that eight homes were evacuated and six were flooded near Burlington and Otto. They estimated damages at $118,500 to 250 acres of crops and 1,750 acres of pasture and at $15,500 to roads and bridges.

and discharges during June 5-7 on Greybull River in Yellowstone River basin, Wyo.

TABLE 13. Flood

Station

1 ....

2 ....

3------

4 ....

5 .---


Greybull Eiver near Pitchfork.

Wood River at Sun shine.

OreybuU Eiver at Meeteetse.

OreybuU Eiver near Basin.

Dry Creek at Greybull.

Drainage area

(sq mi)

309

200

690

1,130

417

Maximum floods

Before June 1957

Period

1946-49, 1951-57

1945-57

1897, 1903, 1920-57

1930-57

1951-53, 1955-57

Year

1952

1952

1937

1941 1943

1951

June 1957

June 5

June 6 June 7

June 6

June 7

June 7

Gage height

(ft)

16.10

6.98 4.85 5.95

27.47

6.78

38.60 5.90

2 4. 06

7.72

Discharge

Cfs

4,000

5,700 2,260

2,040 10, 500

7,710 5,390

""9,166"

860

998

Eatio to

Q2.33

....-..-

1 At site 30 ft upstream at same datum.2 At site and datum then in use.3 At site 200 ft upstream at same datum.

FLOODS OF JUNE 9 AT PERRY, FLA.

After scattered showers, a tropical disturbance brought heavy rains to the Big Bend area in the coastal lowlands of Florida. Heavy rains began about 6 p.m. on June 7 and lasted about 36 hours.

Rainfall records were collected at 3 recording and 8 daily stations operated by the Weather Bureau and at 14 daily stations operated by the Florida Forest Service.

The heaviest rainfall reported for the area was 18.9 inches about 20 miles northeast of Perry. More than 18 inches of rain fell on about 15 square miles and more than 12 inches fell on about 1,000 square miles (fig. 22). A total of 16.31 inches of rain fell at Perry during June 1957, of which 11.7 inches fell June 7-8. This monthly total was the second highest known and was exceeded during the month of June 1934 when 16.86 inches of rain fell.

Serious flooding occurred in Perry along Spring Creek and Pimple Creek; about 200 families were evacuated from the lowland areas.


30°

IsohyetIsohyetal interval 1 and 2 inches

FIGURE 22. Isohyetal map showing total rainfall for June 7-8 in the vicinity of Perry, Fla.

Spring Creek, which flows westward through town, overflowed it's banks, inundated several streets (fig. 23), and caused considerable damage to homes and business property. Floodwaters from Pimple Creek damaged homes and stores in the northern section of town. Several streets were flooded along Pimple Creek and a section of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad bridge was torn out to relieve the flood ing upstream. Total property damage was estimated at several mil lion dollars.

Two indirect measurements of peak discharge were made (fig. 23); one on Spring Creek just downstream from U.S. Highway 19 and 27 and one on Pimple Creek at the North Jefferson Street crossing.

Spring Creek has a drainage area of about 24 square miles above the point of the discharge measurement and has an average valley slope of about 7 feet per mile. The normal low-water channel ends in an area of sinkholes about a mile east of town, and the Creek flows

C54 FLOODS OF 1957

1000 1000 2000 FEET EXPLANATION

O Indirect measurement site

Flooded area

FiorBE 23. Map showing flooded area and location of flood-determination points. Floods of June 9 atPerry, Fla.

as an intermittent stream to a point near Center Street. The peak discharge of 1 360 cfs occurred during the night of June 9.

Pimple Creek has a drainage area of about 12 square miles above the point of the discharge measurement and has an average valley slope of about 10 feet per mile. The peak discharge of 1,860 cfs occurred at about noon on June 9.


The drainage systems of both Spring and Pimple Creeks begin in San Pedro Bay. The unit peak discharge of Pimple Creek (155 cfs per sq mi) was greater than that of Spring Creek (57 cfs per sq mi) and is accounted for by the steeper valley slope and the more direct route Pimple Creek follows from San Pedro Bay. The peak stage on Pimple Creek occurred from 8 to 10 hours before that on Spring Creek.

Residents of the Perry area remember two previous floods of noteworthy magnitude, one in 1948 and the other in 1934. The flood of June 9, 1957, was by far the most destructive in the history of the community (Musgrove, 1958). The population of Perry had increased greatly during the few years prior to the 1957 flood, especially adjacent to the channels of Spring and Pimple Creeks. The peak discharge of each creek greatly exceeded that which could be carried without flooding.

FLOODS OF JUNE 14-17 IN ILLINOIS AND MISSOURI

Heavy rains occurred on June 14-15 in a narrow strip extending from Pacific, Mo., where 11.75 inches fell, to Belleville, 111., where 13.75 inches fell (fig. 24), and caused extensive flooding and damage. Unusually heavy rainfall of short duration in the St. Louis, Mo., area on June 14 caused an increase in discharge of 100,000 cfs in 17 hours in the Mississippi River.

The maximum total rainfall for the storm was 16.54 inches in 9K hours which fell 8 miles south of East St. Louis, 111. At Belleville, 111., 13.75 inches of rain fell in 12 hours and more than 12 inches were reported from several localities. The maximum 12-hour rainfall for St. Louis, 8.54 inches, fell during the storm.

The flood damage in Illinois was estimated at more than $15 million in East St. Louis and in St. Clair, Madison, Bond, and Clinton Counties; 10 lives were lost, and at least 30 persons were injured. The damage to crops and soil in St. Louis County, Mo., was estimated at $1 million, and eight lives were lost in St. Louis and Franklin Counties.

All major highways from East St. Louis, 111., were closed to traffic by high water, landslides, and fallen trees, and many washouts occurred on railroad fills. It is estimated that more than 6,000 persons were evacuated from their homes, of which about one half were in St. Louis County, Mo.

Floods in many small creeks in St. Louis, Franklin, Washington, and Jefferson Counties, Mo., damaged bridges and roads. Flood- waters of Heads Creek inundated about 90 percent of the town of House Springs, and Grand Glaize Creek reached the highest stage known and caused $50,000 damage in Valley Park.

C56 FLOODS OF 1957

7

illsboro

EXPLANATION

INDEX MA,P

20 MILESGaging Station

Miscellaneous measurement siteNumbers correspond to those

given in table 14


FIGURE 24. Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points and precipitation for June 14-15. Floods of June 14-17 in Illinois and Missouri.

The peak discharge at Caseyville, 111., near the center of the storm, was the maximum in 18 years of record (table 14). A flood-frequency study (Mitchell, 1954) indicates that the recurrence interval for the flood at Caseyville was more than 50 years. Although the peak dis charge in Indian Creek at Wanda was less than that of 1946, it had a recurrence interval of from 35 to 40 years. Floods in Brush Creek at Pacific, Mo., and Fox Creek at Allentown, Mo., each had recurrence intervals greater than 50 years.


TABLE 14. Flood stages and discharges during June 14-17 in Illinois and Missouri



area (sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before June 1957

Period Year

June 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

toQ2.33

Salt Spring Creek basin

1. ...... Salt Spring Creek at Gilead, 111.

1.2 June 14 _ 720 0.8

Illinois River basin

2.......

3 ....

Hurricane Creek near Roodhouse, 111.

Macoupin Creek near Kane, 111.

2.33

875

1950-57

1921-33, 1940-57.

1951

1943

June 16.

9.10 11.77 28.5

23.42

310 1,700

40,000

17,500

2.9

1.6

Cahokia Creek basin

4.......

5.......

Indian Creek at Wanda, 111.

Canteen Creek at Caseyville, 111.

37.0

22.5

1940-57

1939-57

1946

1946June 15.

June 15.

18.41 17. 62 20.54 17.81

9,340 7,750

10, 000 10, 200

3.3

5.7

Meramec River basin

6 -...

7 .

8.......

Brush Creek at Pacific, Mo.

Fox Creek near Pacific, Mo.

Fox Creek at Allentown, Mo.

7.84

1.65

15. -8

June 15.

...do . .

...do

8,220

1,420

21, 200

6.8

11.8

Kaskaskia River basin

9....... Shoal Creek near Breese, 111.

760 1943 1909-12,

1914, 1945-57.

1943 1950

June 17.

25.6 22.63

22.48

52,000 23, 100

22,600 2.1

FLOODS OF JUNE 16 ON BAZILE GREEK, NEBB.

An intense local storm swept the Creighton area (fig. 25) June 16 and caused a flood of unusual severity on Bazile Creek. Rainfall amounting to 6.45 inches was observed at Creighton, but the magni tude of the runoff indicates that greater amounts of precipitation fell within the basin. The peak discharge of 68,600 cfs at the gaging station on Ba/jle Creek near Niobrara (drainage area, 440 sq mi) was 2.6 times the previous maximum in 6 years of record, and its magnitude was of unusual occurrence for the locale.

C58 FLOODS OF 1957

98°

Niobraraf a^~\ Flood-determination point

FIGURE 25. Map showing location of flood-determination point. Flood of June 16 on Bazile Creek, Nebr.

FLOODS OF JUNE 16-18 IN KANSAS RIVER BASIN, KANSAS AND NEBRASKA

The frequent, but not intense, precipitation in May continued into June and practically all areas in Kansas received amounts in excess of their long-term means. Record-breaking floods occurred in central Kansas (fig. 26) on Big Creek and the headwaters of the Saline River. High stages and discharges were recorded on the Smoky Hill River and the South Fork Solomon River.

Big Creek crested on June 16 and 17 (table 15). The business section of Ellis, Kans., was under 4 feet of water, and some parts of Hays, Kans., were inundated. The stage at the gaging station was 0.6 foot higher than that in 1951.

100° 97°

EXPLANATION


given in table 15

40'

40 MILES

FIGURE 26. Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points. Floods of June 16-18 in Kansas River basin, Kansas and Nebraska.


Extremely high stages also occurred on the upper Saline River. Near Wilson, the stage was 1 foot higher than that of June 2, 1935, but a foot lower than that of July-August 1928. The crest of 24,300 cfs on June 18 near Wilson diminished rapidly as it moved down stream and was only 8,440 cfs at Tescott (80 miles downstream) on June 22-23.

Flood damage in the Kansas River basin was estimated by the Weather Bureau at about $2% million, of which more than $1 million occurred along the Saline River.

TABLE 15. Flood stages and discharges during June 16-18 in Kansas River basin,Kansas and Nebraska

Station

1. ------

2 ....

3 -.-.

4. -.--_

5--- -

6. ......

7

8 ..

10...-.


Republican River near Guide Rock, Nebr.

Smoky Hill River near Arnold, Kans.

Smoky Hill River at Cedar Bluff Dam, Kans.

Big Creek near Ogal- lah, Kans.

Big Creek near Hays, Kans.

Smoky Hill River near Russell, Kans.

Saline River near Wakeeney, Kans.

Saline River near Wilson, Kans.

South Fork Solomon River above Web ster Reservoir, Kans.

South Fork Solomon River at Alton, Kans.

Drainage area

(sq mi)

22, 060

5,220

5,530

347

594

6,965

696

1,900

1,036

1,720

Maximum floods

Before June 1957

Period

1929-57 1950-57

1938 1950-57

1952-57

1914-571955-57

1907-57

1938-57

1879-1957 1955-57

1928-57

1908-57

1919-25, 1928-32, 1942-57.

Year

1935 1951 1955

1938 1951

1952

1950 1956

1951

1938

1950 1956

1928

1951

1951

June 1957

June 16

June 16

June 19

June 16

June 17

June 18

June 17

June 18

June 17

June 17

Gage height

(ft)

(')

10.1515. 73

19.0 3 12. 57

12.61 3.39 4.77

14 6.32

19.02 21.46 22.07 29.0 16.64 27 17.20 19.40 26.8 25.83

314.9 12.02

27.1

20.60

Discharge

Cfs

250, 000 14, 300

2 29, 200 0)

23, 800 20, 400

*475 s 1,850

(') 346

18, 500 19, 900 22, 400 70, 000 12, 900

(») 7,480

13,000 25, 700 24, 300 55, 200 25, 100

91, 900

« 20, 400

RatiotO Q2.33

3.6

10.6

9.1

4.5

4.7

7.6

1 Not determined.2 From an undetermined part of 1,300 sq mi below dam.3 Site and datum then in use.4 Regulated by Cedar Bluff Reservoir.5 Daily discharge.8 No flow through Webster Reservoir.

The reductions of the flood crests by both Cedar Bluff Reservoir on the Smoky Hill River and Webster Reservoir on South Fork Solomon River were considerable. The Smoky Hill River above the reservoir near Arnold, Kans., crested at 20,400 cfs on June 16. The outflow from Cedar Bluff Reservoir was completely controlled to a maximum daily discharge of only 1,850 cfs on June 19. The peak discharge of 12,900 cfs near Russell, Kans., on June 18 was almost entirely from the

690184 0 63 5

C60 FLOODS OF 1957

drainage area of 1,665 square miles downstream from Cedar Bluff Reservoir.

The maximum flow from South Fork Solomon River into Webster Reservoir was 25,100 cfs. This inflow was completely controlled, and no releases were made. Runoff from the 684 square miles downstream from Webster Reservoir produced a peak discharge of 20,400 cfs at Alton, Kans.

A separate localized storm occurred on June 15-16 in an area in Nebraska adjacent to the Kansas flood areas. More than 6 inches of rain fell in a small area around Red Cloud, Nebr., (fig. 26) causing a flash flood on the Republican River. The peak discharge (29,200 cfs) at the Guide Rock gaging station was the greatest since 1950. This peak discharge was unique in that it was generated almost entirely from the drainage area below Harlan County Reservoir. Water was being released from the reservoir June 16 at the rate of 1,440 cfs. Practically the entire peak discharge of 29,200 cfs at Guide Rock consisted of surface runoff from an undetermined part of the 1,300 square miles between the dam and the gage. A flood of such magnitude is very unusual in this region and would be equivalent to about 12 times the mean annual flood.

FLOODS OF JUNE 16-21 IN SOUTHEASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA

Record breaking rains began at 6 a.m. on June 16 and continued for about 24 hours in the southeastern corner of South Dakota. The rains were concentrated along an arc extending from Tyler, Minn., through Colton, S. Dak., to near Yankton, S. Dak. Figure 27, an isohyetal map compiled by the U.S. Corps of Engineers, shows the amounts and distribution of rainfall during the June 16-17 storm and the points at which peak discharges were determined.

The most noteworthy runoff occurred in and around Sioux Falls on June 17, when Skunk Creek produced a peak discharge of 29,400 cfs, and Big Sioux River, 3 miles downstream from Skunk Creek, crested at 16,200 cfs (table 16). This flood occurred during the time that an extensive flood-control project was under construction. Dikes had been constructed along the Big Sioux River in the reach above and below the mouth of Skunk Creek and for a short distance upstream along Skunk Creek. During the rapid rise these dikes confined the water which came almost entirely from Skunk Creek but were breached or overtopped as the crest occurred. This per mitted the storage of a large quantity of water in the flood plain outside the dikes. As a result there was an abnormally large reduc tion in peak discharge from 29,400 cfs on Skunk Creek to 16,200 cfs on the Big Sioux River at Sioux Falls. A second peak at Sioux


Miscellaneous siteNumbers correspond to those

given in table 16

SOUTH DAKOTAJMINNESOTA

- ^J~ IOWAMHCY MAP ^ .

IsohyetIsohyetal interval 1 inch

10 20 MILES

FIGURE 27. Map showing total rainfall June 16-17 and location of flood-determination points. Floods oi June 16-21 in southeastern South Dakota. Isohyets compiled by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Falls on June 19, caused mainly by the crest moving down the Big Sioux River, was also appreciably reduced between Dell Rapids (15,500 cfs) and Sioux Falls (10,300 cfs) by diverting water through a bypass canal across the loop of the Big Sioux River on which the the gaging station is located and by normal channel storage in the flood plain between the two stations. Discharge hydrographs for streams in the Sioux Falls area are shown on fig. 28.

C62 FLOODS OF 1957

TABLE 16. Flood stages and discharges during June 16-21 in Iowa and south eastern South Dakota



area (sqmi)

Maximum floods

Before June 1957

Period Year

June 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

to QJ.M

Marne Creek basin

1-- .... Marne Creek at Yankton, S. Dak.

30.7 June 16 4,450

James River basin

2....... James River near Scotland, S. Dak.

21,550 1928-57 1942 1952

June 1716.239.48

10,800

1,960 0.8

Vermillion River basin

3....... Vermillion River near Wakonda. S. Dak.

1,680 1945-57 1947 1954

June 21

16.63

16.483,7902,990 1.0

Big Sioux River basin

4.......

5__-____

6 ---.

7_-___.

%.......

9 ...

10--....

11......

Brookings, S. Dak.

Dell Rapids, S.Dak.

tributary near Dell Rapids, S. Dak.

tary near Colton, S. Dak.

Sioux Falls, S.Dak.

Sioux, Falls, S.Dak.

Sioux Falls, S. Dak.

i 4, 420

1 5, 060

.68

5.80

con

i 5, 750

i 9 Q3Q'

1 QW 57

1888-1957

1943-57

1951-57

1 O9fi V7

1952

1952

1952

1952

19521954

June 18

... do_.__

June 17

June 17

June 19

June 20June 21

9.7911.6714.8514.93

17.78

14.5016.01

14.26

19.9519.77

1,9705,320

15, 40015,500

948

2,550

5,77029,400

213,5003 16, 200

* 2, 8002,820

33,000

19, 400

1.6

3.9

20

3.1

1.6

1 Includes about 1,970 sq. mi. which is probably noncontributing.2 Total discharge, 11,000 cfs in main channel, 2,500 cfs in bypass canal.3 Total discharge, 16,100 cfs in main channel, 146 cfs in bypass canal.4 Daily discharge.

Five lives were lost during the flood, two by drowning and three in an automobile accident resulting from a road washout. Property damage was very heavy. Direct urban damage in Sioux Falls from the flood have been estimated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at about $840,000, and damage to the partially completed flood- control project near Sioux Falls amounted to $375,000. Damages


30

25

55&J 20

OKX LUl-°- 15

-HI LU LL.

Mcc o< CD

10

EXPLANATION

Skunk Creek near Sioux Falls, S. Dak.

Big Sioux River near Dell Rapids, S. Dak.

Big Sioux River at Sioux Falls, S. Dak. (main channel only)

Big Sioux River bypass canal at Sioux Falls, S. Dak.

16 17 18 19 20 JUNE 1957

21 22 23

FIGURE 28. Discharge hydrographs for selected streams, Big Sioux River basin, South Dakota. Floods of June 16-21 in southeastern South Dakota.

totaling many thousands of dollars were also sustained by other smaller cities, towns, farmsteads, and highways. About 20,000 acres of crops were destroyed, and many thousands of acres were damaged so that growth and maturity of crops were retarded.

The floods on Marne Creek at Yankton and on Big Sioux River and its tributaries between Dell Rapids and Sioux Falls were the greatest within the memory of residents living in the area. The peak discharge of Skunk Creek greatly exceeded that of the previous maxi mum during 10 years of record and was about 6.5 times that of a 25-year flood.

SNOWMELT FLOODS OF JUNE AND JULY IN WESTERN COLORADO

Spring precipitation at most Weather Bureau stations in western Colorado ranged from 150 to 250 percent of normal. This condition, together with high soil moisture caused by previous high precipita tion, was a stimulus for above-normal snowmelt runoff which occured on many streams.

The Gunnison River near Grand Junction (fig. 29) reached a stage on June 6 that was the highest since the maximum peak of record which occurred in 1920 (table 17). Most of north Delta was inun dated, causing damage to homes and business establishments. Dude ranches and tourist courts near the stream were damaged; however, the damage upstream from Delta along the Gunnison River was relatively minor.

C64 FLOODS OF 1957

108° 107°

39° 30' -

39°00 r

Gaging stationNumbers correspond to those fiven in table 17 10 o 10 20 MILES

FIGURE 29. Map showing location of flood-determination points. Snowmelt floods of June and Julyin western Colorado.

TABLE 17. Flood stages and discharges during June-July in western Colorado

Sta tion


Drainage area

(sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before June 1957

Period Year

June- July 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsKatio

to Qa.ss

Gunnison River basin

I-..-.

2.-----

3. Somerset.

Grand Junction.

63

521

8,020

1954-57

1896-991901-06, 1916-57

1956

1941

1920

or6

2.620)6.306.14

14.95

13.78

2921,200

5,8507,860

35, 700

27, 800

Roaring Fork basin

4 -

Glenwood Springs.

225

1,460

1935-57

1910-57

19381953

1921Julyl

Julyl

9.039.248.7

8.64

4.400

4,39017, 600

19, 000

1 Not determined.


The maximum discharge of 7,860 cfs on June 4, 1957, on the North Fork Gunnison River near Somerset exceeded the previous maximum of a 24-year period of record by 34 percent. The Smith Fork also was high.

On July 1, high stages occurred in the Roaring Fork basin (fig. 29). The maximum discharge in 53 years of record occurred on the Roaring Fork at Glen wood Springs (table 17). The Crystal River was flood ing at the same time, and at Redstone the flood peak almost equaled that of June 1938 which was the maximum peak since at least 1935.

Damage along these streams was limited to overbank flooding, inundation of farmland, loss of small bridges, and damage to build ings in the flood plain.

FLOODS OF JUNE-JULY IN INDIANA AND ILLINOIS

Heavy rains on June 27-29 over central Indiana and east-central Illinois produced floods which exceeded those previously known on some of the tributaries of the Wabash and the White Rivers, on South Fork Sangamon River, and on the Kaskaskia River.

At many Weather Bureau precipitation stations June was one of the wettest months of record. The weather was generally fair im mediately preceding the storm of June 27 and 28, Intermittent showers occurred, however, over most of the area June 22-25 and a few scattered stations reported light showers on June 26. On June 27 and 28 southerly moisture-bearing winds, associated with Hurri cane Audrey, collided with a front that lay across central Indiana and caused flood-producing rainfall ranging from 6 to 10^ inches in central Indiana and as much as 12 inches in east-central Illinois (fig. 30). Many Weather Bureau stations reported more than 3 inches of rain during a 24-hour period. Rockville, Ind., received 10.15 inches of rain during the storm period, and Whitestown, Ind., re ceived almost 8 inches of rain in about 12 hours.

Heavy flooding occurred on most tributary streams in the central White and Wabash River basins in Indiana and in South Fork Sanga mon River and the Kaskaskia River in Illinois. The flooding, how ever, was most severe over the Eagle Creek and Raccoon Creek basins in Indiana. The crest stage at the gaging station on Raccoon Creek at Mansfield, Ind., was the highest since the station was estab lished in May 1939 and, according to information by local residents, was at least 0.3 foot higher than that of the greatest known flood in the area which occurred in 1875. The peak stage at the gage on Eagle Creek was the maximum since at least 1913 and was nearly 0.4 foot higher than that of the flood of March 1913. Floods were moderate on the central and lower main stems of the White and

Mis

cell

aneo

us m

easu

rem

ent

site

Num

bers

cor

resp

ond

to t

hose

give

n in

tab

le 1

8

Iso

hy

et

Isoh

yeta

l in

terv

al 2

inch

es

FIGU

RE 3

0. M

ap o

f flo

od a

rea

show

ing

loca

tion

of fl

ood-

dete

rmin

atio

n po

ints

and

pre

cipi

tatio

n fo

r Jun

e 27

-29.

Fl

oods

of

June

-Jul

yin

Ind

iana

and

Illi

nois

.


Wabash Rivers, having been exceeded by several floods during the past 25 years. See table 18.

TABLE 18. Flood stages and discharges during June-July in Indiana and Illinois



area (sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before June 1957

Period Year

June- July 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

toQ2.83


1 .

2

3

South Fork Sanga- mon near Nokomis, 111.

Flat Branch near Taylorville^ 111.

South Fork Sanga- mon River at Kin- caid, 111.

10.8

276

510

1950-57

1949-57

1917-33, 1944-57

1951

1950

1917

June 28

June 29

June 29

10.94 14.84

16.77 19.55 26.88

30.02

1,510 8,600

9,400 13,000 14, 100

21, 500

6.9

2.1

2.5

Kaskaskia River basin

4. _ ...5. _

6

7.

8

9

Shelbyville, 111.

Tower Hill, 111.

Oconee, 111.

Beecher City, 111.

Vandalia, 111.

7.93

1,030

7.46

10.4

28.6

1,980

1950-57

IQflS-19

1914, 1940-57

IQflft 19

1914-57

1956

1Q43

1Q4.Q

1951

...do.....

...do... .

6.6610.6621.17

22.37

27.39 25.67

515

25,000

25,9004,530

7,670

7,010

52, 200~"62,~766~

1.5

3.24.3

6.3

3.5

~""§"6

Wabash River basin

10

11 ......

12

13

14 _

15.

16

17

18

19

20

21

22.. __

23

24.

Covington, Ind.Walnut Fork near

Mace, Ind.

Crawfordsville,Ind.

Montezuma, Ind.

Ladoga, Ind.

Fincastle, Ind.

South Fork LittleRaccoon Creek at Guion, Ind.

Coxville, Ind.

Mecca, Ind. Brouilletts Creek at

Blanford, Ind.

Terre Haute, Ind.

8,208

32.4

Kf\Q

668

11,100

54.4

25.2

91 ^

28.6

133

440

9.38

263

19 9nn

1 Q Iftft

1913-57

1913-57

\QAf\- *V7

1956-57

1956-57

1956-57

1828-1957

1Q1Q

1938-57

1913

1Q1O

1943

1913

1957

1957

1957

1Q1Q

19131943

July 3

June 29

___do_.._.

...do.....

___do__

... do._

July 2

35.121.46

17.314.48

20.6822.9834.026.11

12.0919.87

13.2418.2713.8621.23

31.125.0426.429.3622.00

200, 00036,2005,710

36, 00026,300

28,70032,200

230, 00077, 1009,820

12,900

5,69040,50021,600

4,18053,40010,100

108, 0006,450

35,200

245, 00082,000

250, 000201, 00081,800

0.62.8

2.2

2.3

1.23.4

7.6

5.912.0

11.1

10.07.2

4.5

1.1

1.3


C68TABLE 18. Flood

FLOODS OF 1957

and discharges during June July in Indiana and Illinois Continued



area (sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before June 1957

Period Year

June- July 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

toQi.33

Wabash River basin Continued

25

26

27

28

29

30 .

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43...--.

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51-.-- -

ne£T Redmon, 111.

River near Barton, 111.

Toledo, 111.

Ca?ev, 111.

Ste Marie, 111.

Oblong, 111.

Noblesville, Ind.

Nora, Ind.

White River atIndianapolis, Ind.

Eagle Creek atRosston, Ind.

Eagle Creek nearClermont, Ind.

Eagle Creek atIndianapolis, Ind.

Centerton, Ind.

White River atSpencer, Ind.

Middle Fork BigWalnut Creek at North Salem, Ind.

Owl Creek nearMorton, Ind.

near Reelsville,Ind.

Cataract, Ind.

Eel River at Bowl-

White River atPetersburg, Ind.

Little Wabash Rivernear Effingham, 111.

Little Wabash Riverat Wilcox. 111.

10 7AT1

ft Q°.

63.6

57.2

7 60

1 540

304

242

814

1 9ftft

26.4

155

179

2 4°.c

9 Qfift

11.6

6 OQ

oqo

241

909

844

n i^o

217

1,130

1912-57

1950-57

1909-121914-57

1940-57

1913-57

1Q07_C7

1950-57

19131925-26,

1929-57

1912-57

1913 57

19131930-32,

1946-57

1875-1957

1949-57

1 949-57

1 Q7C

1 QQO K7

1Q7C 1QK7

1 Q°.1 ^7

1Q10 C7

1914-57

1Q1Q

1943

1951

1950

1Q13

1927

19371956

1 QK7

19131943

1Q19.

1913

19131950

1Q1 D

1952

1950

18751950

1913

1950

July 4

...do.....

June 30

June 29

June 29

June 28

June 30

June 30

do.....

June 28

June 30

July 1June 28

do....

June 28

June 29

June 27June 28

June 29

July 6June 28

July 1

29.3323.70

10.0010.55

25.54

22.11

19 68.35

16.315.9315.68.98

11.8612.3715.2699 4

18.19

18.04690.0

679. 03

16.016.3821.9(')

16.0628.521.50

17.9618.63

21.3519.6421.018.38

3 15. 1830.023.5323.39on K

22.16

26.6722.40

255 000

69,4002,100

14,200

11,900

2,6502,360

44, 800

39,80027, 10025, 000

20,0005,880

27, 20020, 8000)1,5406,7203, 6609,800

32, 400

30, 40070, 000

28, 0008,040

42, 400

19,00028, 800

2 90, 00043, 000

34, 700100, 00037, 7006,860

5,550

15, 70030, 700

9,4807,1800)8,9602,540

(034, 00033, 400

235, 00063, 20034, 400

47, 00016, 800

1.12.1

4.7

4.2

2.2

2.1

4.3

1.0

1.6

2.7

2.8

2.1

1.44.5

7.6

4.9

1.4

1.26.8

7.5

3.1

1.1

.3

2.3

.86.1

1.2

Not determined. At site 8J4 miles downstream.

1 Affected by backwater from Deer Creek and Big Walnut Creek.


The last column in table 18 gives the ratio of the peak discharge of the 1957 flood to the mean annual flood. Ratios of 2.5 in Indiana and of 3.6 in Illinois indicate a 50-year flood; therefore, many of the peak discharges on tributary streams during the 1957 flood greatly exceeded that of a 50-year flood.

Most streams began to rise early on June 28 and the crest was reached on the same day. Previous maximum stages during the period of known floods were exceeded at many gaging stations. Although the peak stage on Big Walnut Creek near Reelsville, Ind., was only 0.67 foot higher than the previous maximum stage during the period of record, the corresponding discharge was nearly doubled.

Virtually the entire flow in Mill Creek near Cataract, Ind., whose peak discharge of 7,180 cfs was 2,300 cfs less than that of January 5, 1950, the maximum for the period of record, was stored in Cagles Mill Reservoir (storage began December 1952) and was not released until after the crest on Eel River had passed Bowling Green, Ind. The peak discharge at Bowling Green during the present flood was 33,400 cfs which was slightly less than that of January 4, 1950 (34,000 cfs) the maximum in the period of record starting in 1931.

In Indiana 6 persons were drowned in the raging waters that dam aged 1,282 dwellings, flooded 125 business places, washed out dozens of highway and railroad bridges and their approaches, and flooded a million acres of crops. Thousands of acres of cultivated land were flooded to a depth of more than 6 feet. In Illinois 2 persons were drowned and 150,000 acres of farmland were inundated.

A report by Schoppenhorst (1958), prepared in cooperation with the State of Indiana, describes the flood in Indiana in more detail.

FLOODS OF JULY 1 IN THE VICINITY OF COFFEEVILLE, MISS.

Heavy rains fell from about 11 p.m. on June 30 to 8 a.m. on July 1 in the Coffeeville-Grenada area in north-central Mississippi. Rain totaling about 5 inches above normal had fallen in the 2 weeks prior to the storm, and the ground was saturated. The intensity of the storm was greatest from about midnight to 2 a.m. July 1, when 3.60 inches of rain was recorded at Grenada Dam, 12 miles southwest of Coffeeville. The maximum rainfall recorded during the storm was 6.29 inches at Grenada. The rainfall at Coffeeville totaled 5.37 inches and that at Enid Dam, 20 miles northwest of Coffeeville, totaled 2.97 inches (fig. 31).

Most of the U.S. Weather Bureau rain gages are in the area of intense storm, and several are located on the outer edges. Rainfall totals during various time intervals at Grenada Dam, Grenada, and Coffeeville are related to frequency curves (fig. 32) which were developed from data of the U.S. Weather Bureau (1957a). Hourly

C70 FLOODS OF 1957

90°00' 89° 30'

34° 00'

MISSISSIPPI

INDEX MAP

Miscellaneous measurement siteNumbers correspond to those

given in table 19

IsohyetIsohyetal interval 1 inch

FIGURE 31. Map of flood area showing precipitation for June 30-July 1 and location of flood-determination points. Floods of July 1 in the vicinity of Coffeeville, Miss.

5-year

EXPLANATION

O Grenada Dam

Q Grenada

A Coffeeville

012345678

DURATION, IN HOURS

FIGURE 32. Kainfall intensity-frequency curves for July 1, vicinity of Coffeeville, Miss. Data from U.S.Weather Bureau.


records of rainfall are complete at Grenada Dam. Data from the three stations indicate that the rainfall in the area for 1- to 8-hour periods was probably generally more intense that that of a rainfall of a 25-year frequency. The rainfall during both 2- and 8-hour periods at Grenada exceeded that of a 100-year frequency, and the rainfall during the 8-hour period at Coffeeville was about equal to that of a 50-year frequency.

Peak discharges were determined at many sites in the area (table 19). The gates of Grenada Dam (on the Yalobusha River) were closed at 1 a.m. on July 1, so the peak discharges below the gates were caused by runoff from drainage areas below the dam.

TABLE 19. Flood stages and discharges during July 1 in Yazoo River basin nearCoffeeville, Miss.

Station

1 ....

2 .-__

3-- .4. ___

5,. ..

6......

7 .

8.......

9 .

10 .

11..-.-. 12 .


Snake Ditch near Coffeeville-.

Golden Ditch near Coffeeville-

York Creek near Coffeeville ... Spearman Creek near Coffee

ville. Caney Creek near Coffeeville.

Turkey Creek at Coffeeville

Turkey Creek near Coffee ville.

Cypress Creek near Coffee ville.

Perry Creek near Torrence ....

Yalobusha River at Grenada Dam near Grenada.

Yalobusha River at Grenada.. Yalobusha River near Hoi-

comb.

Drainage area

(sq mi)

0.398

.197

13.45.38

1.97

66.4

70.2

22.3

21.2

1,320

1,550 1,645

Maximum floods

Before July 1957

Period

1955-57

1955-57

1955-57

1906-57

1941-42, 1948, 1955-57

1955-57

Year

1955

1955

1955

1955

1955

1955

July 1, 1957

Gage height

(ft)

17.24 18.43 7.31 7.51

18.78 12.19

16.61 18.91

237. 85 237. 36 30.22

24.72

26.09 229.2 228.6

18.65 147. 56

Discharge

Cfs

255 372 145 165

6,300 4,200

1,040 1,560 (') 0)

27, 300

8,150

10, 900 15, 000 12,000

2 45, 000

3 7, 000 3 13, 200

Ratio to Qa.33

4.2

6.3

5.2

6.0 1.6

1 Not determined.2 Computed peak flow into Grenada Reservoir by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.3 Contributed by drainage area below Grenada Dam.

The ratios of the peak discharge to the mean annual flood (table 19) were high in the area (the ratios for drainage areas less than 10 sq mi can not be computed), and five of the peak discharges can be compared with those of the noteworthy flood of March 21, 1955.

Flood history of Turkey Creek at Coffeeville (drainage area, 66.4 sq mi) goes back at least 50 years. The following elevations of flood peaks on Turkey Creek were determined from information by a long-time resident.

C72 FLOODS OF 1957

Elevation of peak Date (feet)

Mar. 21, 1955______________________________ 237.85July 1, 1957_______________________!____-__________ 237. 36Nov. 19, 1948__________________________.___ 235.6

The resident stated that the 1948 flood resulted from 8.12 inches of rainfall in 14 hours and was the greatest flood prior to 1955 which he can remember.

The 1957 peak stage on Cypress Creek, upstream from State Highway 7, near Coffeeville, was 1.4 feet higher than that of March 21, 1955, and was at least 3 feet higher than that of February 13, 1948.

The Soil Conservation Service estimated the flood damage in the area adjacent to Coffeeville as follows:Crops and pastures by inundation.__________________-__--_--_--_- $148, 600Fences, farm bridges, and farm roads_____________________________ 11, 750County, State, and Federal roads and bridges.__________-___-----_- 2, 700Crops and pastures by sediment deposits._________________________ 1, 450Uprooted crops___-____-___-____-_______________-__-__--__--_- 7, 000

Total._______________________..________-_.__.___-_-- $171, 500

Damage to stores and other buildings in Grenada was estimated at almost $100,000.

A more detailed report of these floods was prepared by the Jackson district office and released to the open files in August 1959.

FLOODS OF JULY 12-13 IN NORTHERN ILLINOIS

During the night of July 12-13, 1957, the Chicago area was swept by a storm which caused the second major flash flood in less than 3 years. Rainfall was comparable in amount to that of the October 1954 storm, but it occurred in a shorter period. This storm was therefore the most intense storm in 87 years of Weather Bureau records at Chicago. In the Weather Summary for Illinois (U.S. Weather Bureau, 1957c), the storm was summarized as follows:

The principal heavy rain period lasted about 10-15 hours during the after noon and night of July 12-13 with the heavy rain shifting slowly southward during that time. The Weather Bureau station at Midway Airport Chicago set a 6-hour record of 5.50 inches and a 24-hour record of 6.24 inches (actually occurring in 12}£ hours). Two other official gages in Chicago measured more than 7.50 inches during the storm. The core of maximum rainfall occurred farther south over Kankakee where more than 10.00 inches occurred. The prin cipal axis of heaviest rainfall extended from Kankakee northward into Will County and southeastward toward Watseka. [See fig. 33.]

More than 7 inches of rain fell in the extreme northern part of Iroquois County, in the central three-fourths of Kankakee County, in about one-third of Will County, in most of the Chicago suburbs (except near Lake Michigan), in parts of northwestern and extreme southern Cook County, and in a small area southwest of Joliet.

Chicago's Midway Airport was flooded and out of service for 24 hours, temporarily stranding 2,500 travelers. The Congress Street


88°

Miscellaneous siteNumbers correspond to those

given in taKle 20


10 10 20 MILES

FIGURE 33. Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points and precipitation for July 12-13. Floods of July 12-13 in northern Illinois. Isohyets from map published by Illinois State Water Survey.

Expressway in Chicago was blocked by water as much as 3 feet deep in several places, marooning hundreds of motorists. Edens Express-

C74 FLOODS OF 1957

way and North and South Lake Shore Drives were also impassable. All forms of transportation were seriously affected or completely halted by the flooding of highways, railroads, and underpasses. The Dearborn Street Subway filled with water, which caused suspension of service for 2 days. The Chicago Transit Authority kept the State Street Subway in operation by heavy pumping.

The Chicago River rose 5.5 feet in 7 hours, and for the second time in 3 years (also the second time since 1900) lock gates at Lake Michi gan were opened to permit flow of the river water into the lake. Lock gates at Blue Island on the Calumet-Sag Channel and locks and tur bines at Lockport on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal were opened to permit increased flow from the Chicago River. All the Chicago beaches on Lake Michigan were closed because of the danger of pollution but were reopened when tests indicated the water was safe. The city water supply, taken from cribs out in the lake, was not affected. Control measures were effective in keeping the damage in Chicago much below those in the October 1954 flood. Even so, losses in the Chicago area were estimated at more than $5 million. Nine lives were lost. Newspapers reported 40,000 basements flooded, interruption of electric service to 50,000 customers, and 67,000 telephones out of service.

Another million dollars in damage, exclusive of large unknown crop losses, was estimated in the Kankakee area. Soldiers Creek flooded a square mile in the northeastern part of Kankakee, and other low- lying parts of the city were inundated by the record-breaking flood on the Kankakee River. About 600 families were evacuated. Because of the level land and slow drainage, fields and highways were flooded in a large surrounding area.

In Joliet, more than 300 families were evacuated from the south eastern part of the city owing to widespread flooding of Hickory and Spring Creeks. All major highways were blocked by flood waters, isolating the city for several hours. Damage was estimated at al most a million dollars.

Most of the gaging stations in the area have less than 10 years of record (table 20). At most of the stations having longer periods of record, part of the basins were outside the areas of heaviest rainfall and peak discharges were not outstanding; however, at Kankakee River near Wilmington the flood was the highest in 22 years of record, and downstream at Illinois River at Marseilles the flood was the highest in 38 years of record. Data in the State flood-frequency report (Mitchell, 1954) indicate that the recurrence interval for the flood at Kankakee River near Wilmington and Hickory Creeks at Joliet is greater than 100 years. By the use of techniques given in the aforementioned report and developed for stations having relatively


short periods of record, the recurrence interval for the flood was probably 100 years or more at Willow and McDonald Creeks in northern Cook County, at Thorn Creek at Glenwood, in southern Cook County, and at Terry Creek tributary to the Kankakee River between Kankakee and Wilmington. At all these stations the peaks were appreciably higher than those in October 1954, which had been outstanding. (See Daniels and Hale, 1958.)

TABLE 20. Flood stages and discharges during July 12-18 in northern Illinois



area (sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before July 1957

Period Year

July 1957Gage

height (ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

toQ2.33

Streams tributary to Lake Michigan

1.......2.. __

3. ...

4------

5.......

6 ....

7. ......

8-

Thorn Creek at Glenwood.

Deer Creek near Chicago Heights.

Butterfleld Creek at Flossmoor.

Lansing Ditch near Lansing.

North Creek near Lansing.

Thorn Creek at Thorn ton.

Little Calumet River at South Holland.

Midlothian Creek at Oak Forest.

24.6

23.2

23.4

8.7

16.7

104

14.0

1949-57

1948H57

1948-57

1948-57

1948-57

1947-57

1947-57

1950-57

1954

1948

1954

1948 1954

1948 1954

1947

1947 1954

1954

July 13-

July 13..

July 13-

July 13-

July 13-

July 13-

July 14-

July 13-

9.88 11.14 11.52 11.75 10.92 11.78

10.188.85

8.968.85

14.34 16.00

19.3920.11 8.49 9.00

1,180 2,460

663 1,380 1,480 2,550

461

240 730

515 4,200 4,700 4,760

4,440 569 550

3.7

2. 6

3.3

1.2

1.4

2.4

1.1


9 ....

10 ...

11- -

12---.--

13. -

14 -.

15......

16

17.-_-_

18 ...

19----

20-

Seef

Kankakee River at Momence.

Iroquois River at Iroquois.

Sugar Creek at Milford.

Iroquois River near Chebanse.

Terry Creek near Ouster Park.

Kankakee River near Wilmington.

Buftalo Creek near Wheeling.

Des Plaines River near Des Plaines.

McDonald Creek near Mt. Prospect.

Weller Creek at Des Plaines.

Willow Creek near Park Ridge.

Salt Creek near Arlington Heights.

ootnotes at end of tal 6-90184 O 63 6

2,340

682

430

2,120

12.0

5,250

19.4

359

7.52

13.1

19.6

33.7

lie.

1905-06, 1914-57

1944-57

1948-57"1913"""

1923-57"1949^57""

1883, 1887 1935-57

1952-57"1938""""""

1940-57

1952-57

1950-57

1950-57 "1950^57"""

1930 1950

1951

1951""1913"""

1933"""1950""

1883, 1887 1943 1949

1954~"~I938"~

1950

1954

1954

1954 ""1954""

July 13..

July 13..

July 13..

July 15-

July 13..

July 13-

July 12..

July 13-

July 13-

July 13-

July 13-

Juiy 13..

18.095.06 3.99

23.30 22.79 20.90 23.22 19.6 18.1 15.53 6.29

11.15 16.73 8.87

' 11. 5711.40 5.40 6.26 9.7 7.78 5.18 7.31 8.04

10.83 12.37 8.32 9.40 8.43 9.82

10,100 6,960 6,460 5,600

22,900 16,700 34,000 27,000 19,900

162 545

(2) 48,000

75,900 268 430

5,500 4,040 2,610

146 430 535 395 738

1,300 540 572

0.7

1.1

3.9

2.0

5.1

9

1.3

1.0

2.7

.9

C76 FLOODS OF 1957

TABLE 20. Flood stages and discharges during July 12-13 in northern Illinois Continued



area (sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before July 1957

Period Year

July 1957Gage

height (ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

to02.33

Illinois River basin Continued

21......

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30 .

31

32

33

Western Springs.

Bellwood.

Riverside.

Flag Creek nearWillow Springs.

Deerfleld.

North BranchChicago River at Northbrook.

North Branch Chicago River atNiles.

Lockport.

Lemont.

Joliet.

Joliet.

122

18.2

635

16.2

20.7

11.5

IftO

11.3

20.8

84.0

107

7,640

1945-57

1950-57

1914-571943-57

1951-57

1QKO C7

1952-57

1950-57

1951-57

1900-57

1944-57

19161919-57

1948

1954

19191948

1954

IQK'7

1954

1Q54

1954

1947

19161950

July 14..

July 13..

July 14..

July 13. _

July 13

July 13

July 13

July 13

July 13

July 13

July 13

July 14

8.067.399.488.69(2)8.288.006.886.89Q HO

8.97

8.569.65

9.28

10.30

9.919.37

10.6812.77

825.414.9115.20

1,9201,020

598560

7,4506,5105,9501,3001,350

284195

411930

1,7001,850

1,120695

24,60023,400

3,1602,390

11,700

10,20015,200

83,30093,900

.9

1.2

3.1

4.86.1

7.1

2.7

1 Ice jam, at site one-quarter mile upstream at same datum.2 Not determined. ' Ice jam.

FLOODS OF JULY 26, 30 ON CHERRY CREEK AND JULY 30 ON KIOWA CREEK, COLO.

Frequent rains during July southeast of Denver, Colo., made con ditions suitable for flooding. Intense, but localized, thunderstorms occurred late on July 25 and July 30. The storm on July 25 was centered north of Castle Rock and Franktown in the Cherry Creek drainage (fig. 34). The peak discharge at the gaging station near Franktown (drainage area, 172 sq mi) was only 81 cfs, while that near Melvin (drainage area, 369 sq mi), about 20 miles downstream, was 9,950 cfs.

The reverse situation occurred on July 30 when the storm struck upstream from Franktown and on the headwaters of Kiowa Creek. The peak discharge of Cherry Creek near Franktown was 5,380 cfs, while that near Melvin was 3,480 cfs.


105°00' 104°00'

39°30'

39 "00'

Cherry Creek .} Helvin Reservoir

EXPLANATION

Gaging station

0 10 20 MILES!

FIGURE 34. Map showing location of flood-determination points. Floods of July 26, 30, on Cherry Creek and July 30 on Kiowa Creek, Colo.

A storm which started about 5:30 p.m. on July 30 and which lasted about 45 minutes occurred at the headwaters of Kiowa Creek. The rain gage at K-79 Reservoir on Kiowa Creek (fig. 34) recorded 1.78 inches. Amounts at nearby locations ranged from 0.5 inch to 4.5 inches. This intense storm produced a computed maximum inflow for a 5-minute interval of 5,250 cfs into K-79 Reservoir. This rate is equivalent to 1,640 cfs per sq mi from the 3.2 square-mile drainage area. Precipitation, as much as 0.7 inch per day, occurred on 10 of the 12 days preceding the storm and was a major factor contributing to the high rate o.f runoff. The total volume of runoff into the reservoir was only 270 acre-feet.

K-79 Reservoir (capacity, 130 acre-feet at spillway elevation) re duced the inflow peak of 5,250 cfs to a maximum outflow of 1,560 cfs, which in turn was only 211 cfs at the gaging station at Elbert, 11 miles downstream. Farmers reported a small amount of damage to hay and a small amount of erosion to croplands. The Agricultural Research Service reported that the reduction of the flood flow by K-79 Reservoir prevented damage to additional crops, roads, and bridges.

FLOODS OF AUGUST 3-4 IN CENTRAL NEW YORK

Severe floods occurred August 3-4 in central New York (fig. 35). The thunderstorm was described by a county highway official as being

078 FLOODS OF 1957

76°

43

4\oMerrillsville

10 MILES

EXPLANATION

Gaging Station

Miscellaneous site Numbers correspond to those

given in table 21

FIGURE 35. Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points. Floods of August 3-4 incentral New York.

the worst storm to occur in the area since 1922. Rainfall totaling 6.9 inches between 5 p.m. August 3 and 6 a.m. August 4 was measured unofficially.

The torrential rains caused several streams to overflow. Bridges and sections of many roads were washed out, electric power was cur tailed, numerous cellars were flooded, families were forced to evacuate their homes, and two persons died as a direct result of the floods. Damage to Madison County highways was estimated at about $250,000.

Streams draining the northern escarpment of the Appalachian Pla teau washed out bridges, eroded farmlands, and caused considerable damage to crops. Small streams showed evidence of abnormally high velocities.

Raging floodwaters in Canaseraga Creek washed out a small dam and a bridge at Perryville, and farther north a large part of Canaseraga park was extensively damaged by inundation and a bridge in the park was destroyed.

At the gaging station on Chittenango Creek near Chittenango the peak discharge was the fourth highest in a short period of record, but a tributary to the Creek caused inundation of Madison Street in Chit-


tenango when it broke through a long culvert and caused a section of a road to collapse.

Along Cowaselon Creek in the Merrillsville-Lenox area three bridges were washed out, and almost every road in the area was damaged by washouts or slides. The peak discharge in Oneida Creek at Oneida was the second highest in the period of record beginning in 1949.

The peak discharge in Onondaga Creek at Syracuse was the maxi mum since the station was established in 1951.

Peak discharges were determined at four gaging stations and four miscellaneous sites. (See table 21.)

TABLE 21. Flood stages and discharges during August 3-4 in central New York

Station

1- ...

2-

3-~

4.

5 -

6 .

7 -

8 -


Onondaga Creek at Dor win Avenue, Syracuse.

Oneida Creek at Oneida.

Canaseraga Creek near Chittenango.

Cowaselon Creek at Merrillsville.

Clockville Creek at Lenox Furnace.

Chittenango Creek near Chittenango.

Tributary to Chit tenango Creek near Chittenango.

Limestone Creek at Fayetteville.

Drainage area

(sq mi)

88.9

112

11.1

9.24

11.1

67.7

2.96

285.7

Maximum floods

Before August 1957

Period

1951-57

1949-57

1950-57

1939-57

Year

1952 1956

1950

1950 1956

1950

August 1957

Aug. 4

Aug. 4 Aug. 3

...do

Aug. 3 ...do

Aug. 4

Gage height

(ft)

4.64

4.31 13.78 13.32

7.186.24

7.78 6.86

Discharge

Cfs

1,44011,280

7,440 6,520

929

2,740

488

2,760

2,400 170

7,010 3,800

Ratio to

02.33

1.7 1.3

4.6

.7

9.1

1.2

1 Affected by reservoir regulation.2 Not including 15.7 sq mi of Middle Branch Tioughnioga Creek basin, flow from which may be completely

diverted from Limestone Creek basin through Deftuyter Reservoir

FLOODS OF AUGUST 13-14 IN NORTH-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Heavy rains fell over much of Arkansas on August 12-13, causing severe floods on tributaries of the Arkansas and the White Rivers in north-central Arkansas (fig. 36).

In the Little Red River basin, the highest stages known occurred on South Fork Little Red River and its principal tributary, Archey Fork, causing severe flooding in the town of Clinton. The flood on Middle Fork Little Red River was the third highest in the period of record beginning in 1939. The crest stage of Little Red River near Heber Springs was not as high as those in 1943, 1949 or April 1957, but it was notable as it was the fourth highest in the period of record beginning in 1927 (table 22).

C80 FLOODS OF 1957

93°


given in table 22

IsohyetIsohyetal interval 1 and 2 inches 20

FIGURE 36. Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points and precipitation for August 12-13. Floods of August 13-14 in north-central Arkansas.

TABLE 22. Flood and discharges during August 13-14 Arkansas

north-central



area (sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before August 1957

Period Year

August 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

toQ2.33

White River basin

1- -

2---...

3......

Middle Fork LittleRed River atShirley.

South Fork LittleRed River nearClinton.

Heber Springs.

9Q4

316

1939-57

-IQQQ C7

1927-57

1949

1Q4Q

1949

Aug. 13

Aug. 13

Aug. 14

31.026.03

26.5528.16

46.5340.84

101, 00051, 700

54, 90059, 500

117, 00087, 500

2.3

2.6

1.6

Arkansas River basin

4- ..

5 ....Creek near Guy.

1ft7

19431947-57

1954-57

1QJQ

1QJQ

1956Aug. 13

Aug. 14

24.624.6016.80

24.95

0)77, 00021, 1008,070

18,600

1.1

1.7

1 Not determined.


In the Arkansas River basin highest stages known occurred on Point Remove and Cadron Creeks. Moderate flooding occurred on Illinois Bayou, where the stage was third highest in the period of record beginning in 1947. In the Arkansas River basin severe local flash floods occurred in the towns of Russellville and Clarksville.

Two persons were drowned when Cypress Creek, a tributary to Cadron Creek, overflowed its banks and washed their house off the foundations.

FLOODS OF AUGUST 24 IN VICINITY OF SANTA FE, N. MEX.

Heavy thunderstorms occurred in and around the northern and eastern parts of Santa Fe during the afternoon of August 24. The total rainfall in the eastern part of Santa Fe was estimated at 2.5 inches, of which about 2.0 inches fell in half an hour. Only 0.45 inch was recorded at the Weather Bureau gage in southwest Santa Fe.

Damage caused by this flood was estimated at $100,000; about half of the damage was to roads, bridges, and utilities. Some houses were damaged in the area where Canada Ancha joins the Santa Fe River. Almost all the flow in the Santa Fe River at the eastern end of town came from Canada Ancha and other nearby arroyos below Twomile Reservoir on the Santa Fe River (fig. 37). Damage totaling

EXPLANATION

Flood-determination pointNumbers correspond to those

given in table 23

FIGURE 37. Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points. Floods of August 24 in vicinity of Santa Fe, N. Mex.

about $12,000 occurred in downtown Santa Fe when a temporary road detour across the Santa Fe River consisting of a temporary fill and small culverts caused water to be diverted into some nearby business buildings. A few houses bordering Rio Tesuque near the town of Tesuque were damaged.

C82 FLOODS OF 1957

A discharge of 632 cfs (table 23) on Tesuque Creek, above diversions, near Santa Fe was the highest recorded since the record began in 1936. The maximum measured runoff from the storm occurred on Arroyo de los Frijoles near Santa Fe which was 5,340 cfs from a drainage area of 2.92 square miles, or a discharge of 1,830 cfs per sq mi.

TABLE 23. Flood and discharges during August 24 in Rio Grande basin, Santa Fe, N. Mex.

Station

1 ....

2-. .

3 .

.4 .

5. ---6.

9 .10 11 _ ... 12


Tesuque Creek, above diversion, near Santa Fe.

Little Tesuque Creek near Santa Fe.

Rio Tesuque tributary near Tesu que.

Arroyo de la Piedra at Santa Fe...

Arroyo de los Frijoles at Santa Fe Arroyo de los Frijoles near Santa Fe.

Drainage area (sq mi)

11.6

8.28

22

.71

1.66 137.4

.61 2.76 1.02 6.25 1.30 2.92

Maximum floods

Before August 1957

Period

1936-57

1938-41

1952

Year

1938

1940, 1941

1952

August 24, 1957

Gage height

(ft)

4.2 5.26

1.90

5.4

14.6

Discharge

Cfs

425 632

1,060

500

1,490 633

800 635

1,450 520

1,6001,1003,040 1,900 5,340

Ratio toQl.33

8.5 17

15

1 About 6 sq mi below Twomile Reservoir.

FLOODS OF SEPTEMBER 18-19 IN HABBISON COUNTY, MISS.

During the late afternoon of September 17 rains began to fall on the Mississippi gulf coast as the forward part of Hurricane Esther moved into the area. The most intense rains occurred at Biloxi during the early morning of September 18. The rains gradually diminished until early morning of September 19 when they ceased.

Daily totals and storm totals of rainfall at seven Weather Bureau stations are shown in the following table :

Rainfall, in inches, Mississippi Gulf Coast area

Station

Bay St. Louis. _Biloxi City _ __ _ _______ ___Gulf port Naval Center __ _ __ __McHenry _____Saucier Experimental Forest __Standard _____Vancleve

18

10. 264. 39

10. 004. 204. 256. 055. 00

19

0. 146. 13.03

5. 435. 673. 007. 02

20

0. 74. 06. 75. 05.41. 10. 22

18-20

11. 1410. 5810. 78

9. 6810. 33

9. 1512. 24

September


Two recording rain gages are in the area, at Biloxi and at Saucier Experimental Forest. Maximum rainfall for selected time intervals during September 17-18 at these stations may be compared with U.S. Weather Bureau (1957a) frequency curves (fig. 38). This was a

11

10

^ 7

Saucier Experimental Forest

06 12 IB 24 DURATION/IN HOURS

FIGURE 38. Rainfall intensity-frequency curves for September 17-18, Harrison County, $fiss.

storm of rare occurrence. The rainfall at Saucier for the 10- to 20- hour period exceeded that for a recurrence interval of 50 years, and the rainfall at Biloxi for the 14- to 24-hour period exceeded that for a 25- year recurrence interval. The fact that the nonrecording rain gages at Bay Saint Louis, Gulfport, and Vancleve measured greater totals than did the recording gages indicates that storms of greater recur rence intervals may have occurred at these places.

Peak discharges of the flood were determined at seven sites (fig. 39), two gaging stations, and five miscellaneous sites. The relatively low peak discharge in Turkey Creek can be attributed to the swampy terrain along the lower reaches which is capable of storing large quantities of water.

Information from long-time residents provided the following flood history of several streams in the flood area: Floods of 1916 and 1928 on the Biloxi River had about the same peak stages and they were

C84 FLOODS OF 1957

at least 8% feet higher than that of September 18, 1957, at a point about 1 mile upstream from the gage at Wortham. A flood in 1948 reached a peak stage about 2.2 feet higher than that at the gage during the 1957 flood. The 1957 peak stage in Tuxachanie Creek, half a mile upstream from the gage, was the greatest since the peak stage of the flood of 1906, which was about 1 foot higher. The peak stage in Tchoutacabouffa River at the old ferry crossing (2.7 miles upstream from State Highways 55 and 57) was 4 inches higher in the 1906 flood than it was in the 1957 flood.

The ratio of peak discharge to the mean annual flood (table 24) indicates that the floods of September 1957 were of rare occurrence, because a ratio of 2.9 indicates a 50-year flood and one of 1.9 indicates a 10-year flood.

A more detailed report of these floods was prepared by the Jackson district office and released to the open file in August 1959.

TABLE 24. Flood stages and discharges during September 18-19 in HarrisonCounty, Miss.



area (sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before September 1957

Period Year

Septem ber 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

to02.33

TchoutacaboulTa River basin

1 .-.

2.......

Tuxachanie Creek near Biloxi.

Tchoutacabouffa River north of Biloxi.

92.4

220

1906-57 1952-57

1906-57

1906 1955

1906Sept. 19

Sept. 19

23 19.4822.22

(2) 13.08

0) 10,70017, 700

0) 35, 000

4.5

3.9

Biloxi River basin

3_---.._

4. ..-.

5 .

Flat Branch tributary near Saucier.

Biloxi River at Wortham.

Little Biloxi River near Lyman.

1.07

98.3

67.4

1916, 1928 1952-57

1916, 1928

1916, 1928 1955

1916, 1928

Sept. 18

Sept. 18

Sept. 18

8.71

(3) 19.3321.08

(<) 39.12

653

(')

7,4607,740

(') 6,600

1.9

2.4

Turkey Creek basin

6..---.

7. .- -.

Bayou Benard near Gulfport.

Turkey Creek near Gulfport.

15.8

25.0

Sept. 18

...do.....

21.50

13.99

6,100

3,350

4.4

2.0

1 Not determined.2 About 0.3 ft higher than that of Sept. 19,1957, at site 2.7 miles upstream.3 At least 8.5 ft higher than that of Sept. 18,1957, at site 1 mile upstream.4 Considerably higher than that of Sept. 18,1957.


Saucier Experimental Forest

Gaging station6

o

Miscellaneous measurement site Xj^,Numbers correspond to those y

given in table 24

FIGURE 39. Map of flood area showing locati on of flood-determination points. Floods of September 18-19in Hairison County, Miss.

FLOODS OF OCTOBER 13-15 IN COLORADO RIVER BASIN, TEXAS

Heavy showers and thunderstorms on October 12-15 over west- central Texas caused excessive floods primarily on tributary streams in the upper Colorado River basin above Winchell.

The heavy precipitation covered a large area of west-central Texas, and several U.S. Weather Bureau observers in the area reported total precipitation of more than 3 inches for the period October 12-15. Unofficial reports indicated even greater totals for this 4-day period at several locations. A total of 8.40 inches of rainfall was recorded in the 24 hours ending at 6 a.m. on October 13 at Robert Lee, which is at the center of the affected area. The isohyets on figure 40 are based on official rainfall totals for Texas (U.S. Weather Bureau, 1957b).

Extreme flooding occurred on the North Concho and the Middle Concho Rivers above San Angelo and on Elm Creek and the Colorado River at Ballinger. Heavy rains in the Water Valley-Sterling City area caused the highest peak stage and discharge in 21 years on the North Concho River near Carlsbad, which were exceeded only by those of the 1936 flood peak whose stage was the greatest known since at least 1853. The same storm produced the highest peak since 1949

99°

EXPLANATION


given in table 25


10 10 20 30 MILES

INDEX MAP

FIGURE 40. Map of flood area showing precipitation for October 12-15 and location of flood-determination points. Floods of October 13-15 in Colorado River basin, Texas.

on the Middle Concho River near Tankersly. The flood on Elm Creek reached the highest stage not affected by backwater from the Colorado River since 1904 at the gaging station at Ballinger, and was about 0.4 foot lower than the stage of August 1906, which from information by local residents, was affected by backwater from the Colorado River. The flood peak on the Colorado River at Ballinger, was the second highest peak during the period of station record which begins in 1907, and was exceeded only by the flood of September 18, 1936. The October floods caused Oak Creek Reservoir near Blackwell and San Angelo Reservoir at San Angelo to reach their maximum content since storage began in these reservoirs in 1953 and 1952, respectively.

Moderate floods occurred at all other gaging stations in the area but were not of such outstanding magnitude as those just mentioned. Detailed information on maximum stages and discharges for 12 gaging stations and on maximum stages and contents for 3 reservoirs is presented in table 25.


*"**Deism, l excts

Station

2

5

6

t. ......

g

10

11

19

13

14

15 -


Colorado River near Silver.

Oak Creek Reservoir near Blackwell.

Colorado River at Ballinger.

Elm Creek at Ballinger.

South Concho River at Christoval.

Middle Concho River near Tankersly.

Lake Nasworthy near San Angelo.

North Concho River at Sterling City.

North Concho River near Carlsbad.

San Angelo Reservoir at San Angelo.

North Concho River at San Angelo.

Concho River near San Angelo.

Concho River near Paint Rock.

Mukewater Creek at Trickham.

Colorado River at Winchell.

Drainage area (sq.

mi)

1 15, 480

222

i 16, 840

458

434

1 1, 280

i 2, 659

1690

11,533

11,790

1 1, 795

i 4, 492

i 5, 538

70.4

i 24, 580

Maximum floods

Before October 1957

Period

1891-1957 1956-57

1953-57

1882-1957 1907-57

1906 1932-57

1882-1957 1930-57

1900-57 1930-57

1930-57

1891-1957 1939-57

1853-1957 1924-57

1952-57

1936 1915-31,

1947-57

1853-1957 1915-57

1853-1957 1915-57

1919-57 1951-57

1882-1957 1923-34, 1939-57

Year

1922 1957

1957

1884 1936

1906 1956

1906 1938

1922 1946

1936

1948 do..

1936 ..do

1957

1936 1930

1906 1936

1936 do_.

1927 1956

1936 1930

October 1957

Oct. 13

Oct. 13

Oct. 14

Oct. 13

Oct. 13

Oct. 13

Oct. 14

Oct. 13

Oct. 13

Oct. 14

Oct. 13

Oct. 13

Oct. 15

Oct. 14

Oct. 15

Gage height

(ft)

32 24.19 18.30

42,002.10 2, 003. 80

36 28.6

« 27. 90 614.6

11.90 '14.20

23 21.95 6.44

27.2 24.30 23.78 38.36 31.80 23.70 23.70 22.70 29.1 29.1 27.'3

41,902.70 41,916.47

34.6 9 22. 52

.56 47.5 46.6 19.06 43.4 43.4 19.50 18 15.83 2.94

62.2 51.8

44.56

Discharge

Cfs

23,200 10,600

* 44, 540 5 49, 100

CO 75,400 59, 000 (2)

38,500 50,000

(2) 100, 000

3,880 (2)

27,500 22,500

526,900 i 11, 750

(8) 16, 300 13,600 (8)

94,600 79,200

» 93, 240 5 174, 100

184, 000 47,000

1022 8 246, 000

230,000 10 19, 600

(8) 301,000

10 15, 100(2)

15,000 169

(2) 76, 100

i 57,600

Cfs per sqmi

36.032.7

314.4 s 11. 3

84.1 109

2308.9

324.4 319.9

326.5 322.1

367.1 356.2

3110

328.1

354.5 34.6

3 57.2 32.9

213 2.4

36.0

34.5

1 Part is noncontributing.2 Not determined. s From contributing area. 4 Elevation, in feet. s Contents, in acre-feet.6 Affected by backwater.7 Highest stage not affected by backwater since 1904.8 Peak discharge of this flood not necessarily maximum of the period.9 At different site and datum.10 Affected by reservoir regulation.

FLOODS OF NOVEMBER 18-21 IN KENTUCKY AND ADJACENTSOUTHWEST AREA

From 3 to 8 inches of rain fell over an area including central and western Kentucky, western Tennessee, the northeastern corner of Arkansas, and the boot heel of Missouri on November 17-18 and caused severe floods in part of the area. The storm had been preceded by general rains on November 7-9 and 13-16, and the wet ground was

EX

PLA

NA

TIO

N

Gag

ing

stat

ion

Num

bers

cor

resp

ond

to t

hose

give

n in

tab

le 2

6

Isoh

yet

Isoh

yeta

l in

terv

al 1

and

2 i

nche

o oo

oo

FIO

UB

E 41.

Map

sho

win

g lo

cati

on o

f flo

od-d

eter

min

atio

n po

ints

and

pre

cipi

tati

on f

or N

ovem

ber

17-1

9.

Flo

ods

of N

ovem

ber

18-2

1 in

Ken

tuck

y a

ndad

jace

nt s

outh

wes

t are

as.


conducive to high runoff. In a large part of the storm area, the total rainfall from the beginning of the month was the greatest for a similar period in any November of record. Rain totaling 6.66 inches fell at Mammoth Cave Park, Ky., on November 18, and 7.25 inches fell at Martin Junior College, Tenn., on November 19.

An isohyetal map (fig. 41) was prepared from Weather Bureau data.Four lives were lost and damage totaling million of dollars occurred

as a result of the storm and consequent floods. Five counties in Kentucky were declared disaster areas.

Floods on large rivers were minor but widespread and caused heavy losses of mature crops. Flood damage to crops was extensive in the lowlands of western Tennessee and in the Missouri boot heel.

Flash floods were numerous on small streams; the more outstanding ones originated on the Cumberland plateau. Spring City, Tenn., on the Piney River, was badly damaged as a result of torrential rains on November 18. The mayor of Spring City reported that 12 homes and 5 commercial establishments were destroyed and that 135 homes and 11 commercial establishments were damaged. Flood damage in the city was estimated at $395,000.

Maximum discharges of record occurred at many gaging stations in Kentucky (table 26), and the 1937 flood was exceeded on Bear Creek at Leitchfield, Rough River near Madrid, East Fork Pond River near Apex, and the South Fork Little River at Hopkinsville.

In the area of Kentucky south of the Green River extending west ward just past the Tennessee River, a ratio of the peak discharge to the mean annual flood of 2.4 represents a 50-year flood, whereas in the remainder of the State a ratio of 1.9 represents a 50-year flood. With two exceptions, all stations in the area enclosed by a line joining the following stations West Bays Fork at Scottsville, Ky., Rose Creek at Nebo, Ky., and Mayfield Creek at Lovelaceville, Ky. had floods with a recurrence interval of at least 50 years.

Rough River Reservoir was under construction at the time of the flood and had an appreciable effect on the flood discharge downstream. The peak discharge in Rough River near Madrid, Ky., on November 18 of 14,800 cfs was about equal to that of a 15-year flood and was the maximum in a 20-year period of record, whereas the peak discharge of 4,900 cfs at Falls of Rough, below the reservoir, was about equal to a 1-year flood.

In Tennessee the ratios of a flood to the mean annual flood of 2.4 and 3.1 represent a 25-year flood and a 50-year flood, respectively.

C90

TABLE 26. Flood

FLOODS OF 1957

and discharges during November 18-21 in Kentucky and adjacent southwest areas


Drainage area

(sq mi)

Maximum floods

Before November 1957

Period Year

Novem ber 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

toQlM

Salt River basin

1...

2----.

3 ....

4

5. ...

6 .

7- ...

8_.

9- .

Salt River near Har- rodsburg, Ky.

Salt River near Van Buren, Ky.

Floyds Fork at Fish- erville, Ky.

Salt River at Shep- herdsville, Ky.

Rolling Fork near Lebanon, Ky.

Beech Fork near Springfield, Ky.

Beech Fork at Bards- town, Ky.

Rolling Fork near Boston, Ky.

Pond Creek near Louisville, Ky.

139.4

U92

138

1,197

239

85.9

669

1,299

64

1952-57

1928 1938-57

1937 1944-57

1937 1938-57

1913 1938-57

1939H>Y

1937 1938-57

1937 1944-57

1956, 1957

1928 1948

1937 1950

1937 1943 1945

1913 1945

1957

1949

1937 1948 1950

1937 1948 1957

Nov. 18

Nov. 18

Nov. 18

Nov. 19Nov. 20

Nov. 18

Nov. 18

Nov. 19

Nov. 20Nov. 21

Nov. 18

15.0

15.1 22.2 19.3 19.12 16.8 13.12 11.52

847.3

38.04

30.32 24.7 22.4 21.24 26.0 27.0 39. 25 39.5

*55.2

46.6

45.8319

17.78

14.01

4,140

4,190 20, 000 14, 700 14, 400 (2)

11, 500 7,950 f2)

50,000

29, 800

( 2) 26, 500 20,200 7,280 8,280

27, 100 27, 600

(2) 41,300

37, 500

(2)

2,2902,590

0.9

1.4

.9

1.0

1.7

1.2

1.3

1.2

1.4

Green River basin

10-....

11-....

12

13 ___

14

15---. ..

16

17 __.

18 .-.

19

20......

21

McQills Creek near McKinney, Ky.

Green River near McKinney, Ky.

Green River near Mount Salem, Ky.

Green River at Greensburg, Ky.

Russell Creek near Columbia, Ky.

South Fork Little Barren River at Edmonton, Ky.

Green River at Munfordville, Ky.

McDougal Creek near Hodgenville, Ky.

North Fork Nolin River at Hodgen ville, Ky.

Nolin River at Wax, Ky.

Green River at Lock 6, at Brownsville, Ky.

Bear Creek near Leitchfield, Ky.

2.14

22.4

36.3

736

'173

18.3

1 1, 493

5.34

135.6

1380

1 2, 072

30.8

1951-57

1951-57

1953-57

1913 1939-57

1~939-5Y

1941-57

1913 1915-22,

1927-31, 1936-57.

1953-57

1941-57

1936-57

1924-31, 1936-57

1937 1949-57

1952

1952

1955

1913 1952

1952

1949

1913 1937

1957

1955

1937

1937

1937 1952

Nov. 18

Nov. 18

Nov. 18

Nov. 20

Nov. 18

Nov. 18

Nov. 21

Nov. 18

Nov. 18

Nov. 19

Nov. 21

Nov. 18

5.40 5.60 8.93 8.85 9.40

11.11 36.2 33.50 27.21 23.8 17.58 10.00 7.90

54.0 50.40

39.40 5.30 6.27

14.87 14.84

32.26 30.93 44.94

34.15 21 18.6 21.33

950 1,030

10, 400 9,600 5,300

11,700(2)

47,000 25, 600 15,900 8,090 2,140 1,510

87, 000 72,200

36, 500 1,370 2,100

6,840 6,370

22, 000 18,000

120,000

55, 300 (2) 5,700 8,070

3.3

5.3

4.6

1.3

1.0

1.6

1.2

1.7

1.5

1.5

2.3



TABLE 26. Flood stages and discharges during November 18-21 in Kentucky and adjacent southwest areas Continued


Drainage area

(sq mi)

Maximum floods


Period Year

Novem ber 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

toQ2.33

Green River basin Continued

22 -.

23

24 _-

25

26 ...

27- ..

28... .__

29 ...

30

31...-,.

32 ...

Barren River near Pageville, Ky.

West Bays Fork at Scottsville, Ky.

Drakes Creek near Alvaton, Ky.

Barren River at Bowling Green, Ky.

Mud River near Lewisburg, Ky.

Rough River near Madrid, Ky.

North Fork Rough River near West- view, Ky.

Rock Lick Creek near Qlen Dean,

Rough River at Falls of Rough, Ky.

Caney Creek near Horse Branch, Ky.

East Fork Pond River near Apex, Ky.

1512

7.47

1358

1 1, 358

181.5

1158

122.6

20.1

1394

124

194

1939-57

1950-57

1939-57

1913 1938-57

1939-"5Y

1937-57

1954-57

1956-57

1937-57 1939-57

195&-57

1937 1940-57

1952

1952

1957

1913 1952

...do..

1952

1937 1952

1956

1957

1937 1950

1957

1937 1951

Nov. 18

Nov. 18

Nov. 19

Nov. 20...do.....

Nov. Is

Nov. 19

Nov. 18

Nov. 18

Nov. 19...do....

Nov. 18

Nov. 19

27.26 19.26 6.09 6.06

31.54 28.37 52.2

44.63

34.3221.1 22.53 38.6

40.54 16.14 16.79

16.65 14.43 34.06 28.87

24.3812.96

3 14. 43 19.6 19.40 20.70

70,000 17 700 1,640 1,720

34,300 22,400

(2) 77,400

30,700

9,600 12,200

13, 80014,800 2,280 2,520

4,730 2,210 (2)

12,400 4,900

9,020 10,000

(2) 17,500 21,800

1.0

2.2

1.6

.8

2.6

1.9

0.8

.8

.5

1.5

3.5

Tradewater River basin

33 _..

34......Olney, Ky.

Ky.

1246

2.10

1937-57

1951-57

1937

1956Nov. 19

Nov. 18

19.2717.537.067.46

17,0007.960

8841,230

1.1

1.9

Cumberland River basin

35 -

36--...

37 ...

38 .-.

39 ...

40

Shopville, Ky.

West Fork Obey

Tenn.

Tenn.

Cadiz, Ky.

165

382

e 115

19.2

135.5

1952-57

19291934-57

1942-57

1954-57

19371949-57

1956

19291939

1955

1956

19371951

Nov. 19

Nov. 15

Nov. 18

Nov. 18

Nov. 18

Nov. 19

15.7219.55

541.233.5827.2416.3012.65

10.3210.56

20.419.1721.5121.0020.69

10,80014,90074,70044.30031.70015, 1009,510

3,2403,370

(2)5,6709,320

14,20013,600

1.9

1.9

1.8

2.4

3.5

2.5


690184 O 63

C92 FLOODS OF 1957



Drainage area

(sq mi)

Maximum floods


Period Year

Novem ber 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

toQi.33

Tennessee River basin

41......

42

43

44.-...

Whites Creek near Glen Alice, Term.

Piney River at Spring City, Term.

East Fork Clarks River at Murray, Ky.

East Fork Clarks River near Benton, Ky.

123

98.3

89.7

227

1929 1934-57

1927-31, 1954-57

1961-67

1937-57 1938-57

1929 1949

1929

1952

1937 1952

Nov. 18

Nov. 18

Nov. 18

Nov. 19

27.1 19.45 25.1(2)

18.00 15.20 15.20

17.8 16.68 17.10

66,000 19,000 51,000 16,500

32,200 32,300 32,300

(2) 27,600 36,000

4.4

5.5

7.7

5.4

Mayfield Creek basin

45 -

46 ...

Perry Creek near Mayfleld, Ky.

Mayfleld Creek at Lovelaceville, Ky.

1.72

212

1952-57

1937-57

1952 1955

1937Nov. 18

Nov. 19

10.3 7.12 6.74

21.1 19.64

(2) 846 763

19,800 11,200

1.3

1.7

Obi on Creek basin

47 ... Obion Creek at Pryorsburg, Ky.

36.8 1949 1951-57

1949 1952 1957

Nov. 18

13.0 11.50

12.60

(2)

3,900 5,330 2.0

Bayou Du Chien basin

48 -

49 ...

50- -

51 __

52 -

Clinton, Ky.

River near Green-fleld, Tenn.

River near UnionCity, Tenn.

Obion, Tenn.

68.7

431

i Rftn

110

1 Q3Q_ 17

1Q9QC7

1Q9Q-.17

1QOQ_ K7

1Q1ft_17

1Q11

-1007

1007

1007

1Q17

Nov. 18

Nov. 18

Nov. 19

Nov. 20

Nov. 18

14.8917.8216.74

22.021.59

25.422.2514.4214.83

6,8806,470

25,60014,900

49,20040,000

99,50053,600

5, 970 ,6,690

1.7

1.4

3.3

2.1

2.4

St. Francis River basin

53

54---.-.

55

56 -..

57 --.

58

near Kennett, Mo.Little River ditch 1

Little River ditch 251

111

235

9^<;

175

» 883

QQ n

1926-57

1926-57

1945-57

1945-57

1926-57

1Q9fi_fi7

1Q97

1937

1945

1Q4C

i957 ...do

1Q97

Nov. 19

Nov. 20

Nov. 18,19

Nov. 18

Nov. 20

Nov. 20

11.8616.80

16.2615.614.72

14.2

12.7821.70

21.1815.5711.40

?2,7602,440

~"s~7f~660~

6,0703,2003,150

4,1002,480

~~~~7~600~

8,380

2,720

1.3

1.7

.9

.9

.9

1.8




Station Stream and place of determnation

Drainage area

(sq mi)

Maximum floods


Period Year

Novem ber 1957

Gage height

(ft)

Discharge

CfsRatio

to QJ.M

White River basin

CO

60

61- -

Middle Fork LittleRed River atShirley, Ark.

Clinton, Ark.

Ark.

294

316

1,141

IQQQ W

1939-57

1927 57

1949

1957

1949

Nov. 18

Nov. 18

Nov. 18

01

17.39

28.1617.84

46.5330.30

101 00013,800

59,50019,500

117 00046,600

1.5

2.0

2.1

1 Contributing drainage area.2 Not determined.3 Affected by backwater.* 1,400 ft upstream at same datum.5 1,200 ft upstream at datum 3.41 ft higher.6 Includes 34 sq mi without surface drainage.7 Includes some overflow from St. Francis River.8 Includes some overflow from ditches 66, 66A, and 251 near Kennett, Mo.9 Includes that of ditches 66 and 66A near Kennett, Mo. 1° Includes some overflow from Mississippi River.

REFERENCES CITED

Corbett, D. M. and others, 1943, Stream-gaging procedure, a manual describing methods and practices of the Geological Survey: U.S. Geol. Survey Water- Supply Paper 888, 245 p.

Dalrymple, Tate and others, 1937, Major Texas floods of 1936: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 816, 146 p.

, 1939, Major Texas floods of 1935 in Contributions to the hydrology of United States, 1937: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 796-G, p. 223- 290.

Daniels, W. D., and Hale, M. D., 1958, Floods of October 1954 in the Chicago area, Illinois and Indiana in Floods of 1954: U.S. Geol. Survey Water Supply Paper 1370-B, p. 107-200.

Johnson, Hollister, 1936, The New York State flood of July 1935 in Contributions to the Hydrology of the United States, 1936: U.S. Geol. Survey Water- Supply Paper 773-E, p. 233-268.

Mitchell, W. D., 1954, Floods in Illinois, Magnitude and Frequency: Springfield, 111., Illinois Department of Public Works and Buildings, Division of Water ways.

Musgrove, Rufus H., 1958, Floods of June 9, 1957 at Perry, Florida: Circ. 17, Florida Geol. Survey.

Patterson, J. L., 1963, Magnitude and frequency of floods in the United States, pt. 7, Lower Mississippi River basin: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1681. (In press.)

Schoppenhorst, C. E., 1958, Floods of June-July 1957 in Indiana: Geol. Survey Circ. 407, 32 p.

C94 FLOODS OF 1957

U.S. Geological Survey, 1954, Floods of May 1951 in western Oklahoma and north western Texas in Floods of 1951: U.S. Geol. Water-Supply Paper 1227-B, p. 135-199.

1963, Floods of January-February 1957, southeastern Kentucky in Floods of 1957: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1652-A. (In press.)

U.S. Weather Bureau, 1958, Rainfall and Floods of April, May, and June 1957 in the South-Central States: U.S. Weather Bur., Tech Paper 33, 350 p.

1957a, Rainfall Intensity Frequency Regime: U.S. Weather Bur., Tech Paper 29.

1957b, Climatological Data for Texas, October 1957: 28 p. -1957c, Climatological Data for Illinois, July 1957: 14 p.

Yost, I. D., 1963, Floods of April-June 1957 in Texas and adjacent States in Floods in 1957: U.S. Geol. Survey Water Supply Paper 1652B. (In press.)

INDEX

Abstract ______________________ ClAllentown, Mo __________________ 56Arkansas, floods of April-June. ________ 24

floods of August 13-14.. __________ 79Arkansas River _________________ 41,46

at Ralston _________________ 38from Muskogee, Okla. __________ 30

Arkansas River basin ____________ 31,37,80tributary basins in eastern Oklahoma and

western Arkansas __ ______ 36Arnold, Kans ___________________ 59Aurora, Colo. __________________ 43

BBaker, Oreg ____________________ 18Ballinger, Tex. __ . __ . __ . __ . _ . _ 86Barbourville, Ky _________________ 10Bayou Du Cbien basin ____________ 92Bazile Creek, floods of June 16-. ________ 57

near Niobrara, Nebr.. __________ 57Bear Creek at Leitchfleld, Ky __ ..... __ .. 89Bibliography ___________________ 93Big Sandy River basin. ____________ 7Big Sioux River... ____ ..... . ___ ........ 61Big Sioux River basin ______________ 62Big Walnut Creek near Reels ville, Ind. ___ 69Biloxi, Miss........................... __ .. 83Biloxi River basin.. ______ . ___ ...... 84Bird Creek.... L __ . _____ . _______ 40

at Avant, Okla _______ . ________ 37Bixby, Okla.-l. ____________ . __ .. 38Black Bear Craek at Pawnee, Okla ______ 29Blackfoot, Idaho . __ . ___________ 49Blackfoot River ___ . _ .. __________ 49Blackfoot River basin... __ . ________ 50Blue Island, 111 _ ... ______________ 74Boise River basin... -.....-..-. ________ 15Bowling Green, Ind ______________ 69Brazos River basin ____ . ... ______ 21Brush Creek at Pacific, Mo. __________ 56Bucket survey __________________ 26,27Bully Creek uear Vale, Oreg--- ________ 18Burlington, Wyo _______ ...... __ .... .. 52

Cadron Creek Cagles Mill Reservoir, Ind Cahokia Creek basin Calumet-Sag Channel, 111..

. ..... . 81 69 ............. 57 74

Canadian River at Bridgeport, Okla.. . 40,41 Canadian River basin___________ Canaseraga Creek._________.__. Caney River.._______________ Caseyville, 111_.__.________....Castle Rock, Colo______________ Castor River at Aquilla, Mo. ...........Cedar Bluff Reservoir, Kans..._____.

PageChattanooga, Term______________ CllCherry Creek, floods of July 26, 30______ 76

near Franktown, Colo.___________ 76Chicago Transit Authority.__________ 74Chickasaw Creek____.__ . ... _. 39Chikaskia River_______._____-__ 45Chittenango Creek near Chittenango, N.Y... 78Cimarron River.... . . 27Cimarron River basin_.____....... 37Clearwater River..__.. __.. 51

at Spalding, Idaho. ... .. 49 Clearwater River basin ____...__..... 48,50Clinch River. . . 10Clingmans Dam, N.C~_.__.... 6Clinton, Ark.. . 79Coffeeville, Miss.... ... 72

floods of July 1... 69Colorado, snowmelt floods of June and July 63 Colorado River at Ballinger, Tex ........ 85,86Colorado River basin. 21

Texas, floods of October 13-15 . . .. 85Colton, S. Dak . 60Commerce, Okla... 40Cowaselon Creek._ 79Coyle, Okla_ - 37Crab Creek basin_.-. . 14Creighton area, Nebr 57Crystal River... 65Cumberland River basin.... 8,91Cypress Creek - 72

DDamage, Arkansas.. 27,37

Colorado..... 65Denver, Colo 44 Florida 53Idaho.... 16,50Illinois.. - 55,69,74Indiana__ 69 Iowa.... 62Kentucky and adjacent areas 9 Missouri..... 55New Mexico.. 81 New York 78Oklahoma... 37 Oregon 16 South Dakota.._ ---- -- 62Tennessee.. 10Texas and adjacent areas 24total estimated, United Sates 1Virginia., ._. - - 1°Washington___... 16

Deer Creek 41Dell Rapids, S. Dak. 61Denver, Colo., floods of May 9... 43 Dougals Creek basin.. 14

C95

C96 INDEX

Page Dover, Okla __......._ C37Drought, Great Plains.....__________ 24 Drummond, Okla..___________. 37 Dry Creek near Eagle, Idaho_________ 13 Duck River at Columbia, Tenn.____... 10

E

65Eagle Creek_________________. East Cache Creek..______________ 39 East Fork Pond River near Apex, Ky____ 89 Elk River..__....._...................... 40

at Fayetteville.___._..__________ 10 Ellis, Kans- __......_... 58Elm Creek_ __________________ 85,86 Enid Dam, Miss. ________________ 69 Explanation of data.........________ 4

Flash floods..__________________ 89Flood stages and discharges, Arkansas....__ 80

Cofleeville, Miss....___._______ 71Colorado.__________________ 64Colorado River basin, Texas.....__._ 87Denver, Colo________________ 43determination of.._____________. 3Harrison County, Miss.._________ 84 Idaho... ....... ..........._.... 14,50Illinois... .... . ....__...... 57,67,75Indiana....________________ 67Iowa........ ._______________ 62Kansas ...._________ 45,59Kentucky and adajcent areas___ ___. 6,90 Missouri.......______________. 47,57Nebraska__________________ 59New York. ________________ 79Oklahoma__________________ 31Oregon.____________________ 14Rio Grande basin..._________._ 82South Dakota._.._____________ 62Texas and adjacent States.________. 20,87Washington______________. 14Yellowstone River basin..-________ 52

Floods, previous.________________ 39summary of......__________..... 4

Fork Gunnison River near Somerset, Colo_ 65Fort Gibson Reservoir, Okla..________ 37Fort Hall Indian Reservation, Idaho_____ 51Fort Smith, Ark.....---....._.............. 38Foster Creek basin.._____________ 14Franktown, Colo_______________... 76Frog Bayou..___________.__ 41

GGasconade River basin.___________. 47 Grand Glaize Creek_______________ 55 Grande Ronde River basin___________ 16 Green River basin___________.___ 8,90 Grenada Dam, Miss______________ 69, 71 Greybull River________________ 52

Wyo., floods of June 5-7__________ 52 Guadalupe River basin____________ 22 Gunnison River basin______________ 64 Guyandot River basin_...___._... . e

HPare

Harlan County Reservoir, Nebr.. C60 Harrison County, Miss., floods of September

18-19.. - - 82Hawk Creek basin. ___ 14 Hays, Kans..... . -- . 58Hazard, Ky.... 10Heads Creek..... 55Hennessey, Okla.... 26Henrys Fork._____ . 50 Hickory Creeks.... 74House Springs....... 55Hulah, Okla-... -- 40Hulah Reservoir, Okla...-- 37

Idaho, floods of February. 12floods of May and June.. 48

Illinois, floods of June 14-17 55floods of June-July__. 65floods of July 12-13.. _ 72

Illinois River at Marseilles, 111__ 74 Illinois River basin______ ____ 57,67,75Indian Creek at Wanda, 111...... 56Indiana, floods of June-July.... 65Introduction___..--.. -. 1

James River basin.. . . - 62 Joliet, 111.. 74

KK-79 Reservoir, III.. Kanawha River basin.. Kankakee River near Wilmington, 111 . Kansas, floods of May 16-17-. - Kansas River basin.....

Kansas and Nebraska, floods of June 16-18- Kaskaskia River basin.-.____----- 57,67 Kentucky and adjacent areas, floods of Jan

uary 29-February 6........ .floods of November 18-21_____

Kentucky River basin..__ . - ......Kermit, W. Va Kiowa Creek, floods of July 26, 30..........

Lake Michigan, streams tributary to. 75Lake Texoma.... .- 18Langley, Okla_______________----- 40Lavaca River basin___- Levisa Fork..............Licking River basin......Little Beaver Creek... Little Pigeon River.......Little Red River basin... Little Rock, Ala_____ Little Sandy River basin- Little Washita River.....

MMcDonald Creek. McGee Creek....

INDEX C97Page

Malheur River__.._._.........__.__ CISMalheur River basin.____ ________ 15Mangum, Okla________________ 38Marne Creek basin______________ 62Mayfield Creek at Lovelaeeville, Ky_____. 89Mayfleld Creek basin..____________ 92Melvin, Colo___________________ 76 Meramec River basin....__________ 47,57Middle Concho River_____________ 85

near Tankersly______________ 86Midway Airport, 111.______________ 72Mill Creek near Cataract, Ind_______.. 69Mississippi Gulf Coast area________. 82Missouri, floods of June 14-17_________ 55

floods of May 17, 21-23.................... 46Mocane, Okla________________ 40Moffett, Okla. 38Mulberry Creek_________________ 41Muskogee, Okla_______________ 39

NNeches River basin_______. Neosho River,...________. New River.____.___._. New York, floods of August 3-4. Ninnescah River...__...__. Norris Lake._____.__..

. 21

........ 40 10. 77....__ 45. .... 12

North Boggy Creek.______________ 39North Concho River...____________ 85North Fork Red River...........___...... 40Nueces River basin__._.__._____ 22

O

Oak Creek Reservoir, Tex..........Obion Creek basin.....____....Oklahoma, floods of April-June.__ Oklihoma panhandle__.___.. Oneida Creek at Oneida, N.Y......Onondaga Creek at Syracuse, N.Y. Oregon, floods of February____. Osage River basin____.......Otto, Wyo...-_ .-. _.........

Pahsimeroi River near May, Idaho. Peak Discharges, frequency of......Perkins, Okla..._.....___.....Perry, Fla., floods of June 9........Pikesville, Ky....______._..__.

49 41 37 52 10

Pimple Creek...__...._.__.... .. . 53,54 Pine Creek near Cambridge, Idaho______ 13 Platte River basin....._._______.__ 43 Point Remove Creek______________ 81 Portneuf River at Topaz, Idaho_______ 13 Portneuf River basin____________._ 15 Powder River__________________ 18 Powder River basin...________.. 16 Precipitation. See discussion under individual

flood or area

R

Raccoon Creek at Mansfield. Ind. 65

Ralston, Okla.._.. Red Cloud, Nebr............. Red River____... Red River basin_ Redstone, Colo__..-.. Republican River_ Rio Grande basin.... Roaring Fork basin__ Rockville, Ind_..... Rose Creek at Nebo, Ky... Rough River near Madrid, Ky. Rough River Reservoir, Ky....Rush Creek...___.. ........Russell, Kans...

20

Page041

6024

34,38 65 60 22

64,65 65

Sabine River basin. 20St. Francis River basin..... - 47,92St. Vrain Creek. - - 43Sallisaw, Okla... 37,38Sallisaw Creek...... 41Salmon River basin...... 50Salt Fork Red River near Wellington, Tex... 38Salt River basin.... 8,90Salt Spring Creek basin..__.. 57San Angelo Reservoir, Tex.. 86Sand Creek.....____..... 43Sante Fe, N. Mex., floods of August 24-..- 81Saucier Experimental Forest, Miss 83Sayre, Okla . 38Sevierville, Term.._ ._ ... 10Shelbyville, Tenn........... ... - 10Sioux Falls, S. Dak 61Skunk Creek . . 60Smoky Hill River....... - 58,59Smoky Hill Reservoir, Kans.-.-- ... 59Soldiers Creek.... 74South Dakota, floods of June 16-21...... 60South Fork Little Red River... .. 79South Fork Little River at Hopkinsville, Ky.. 89South Fork Sangamon River 65South Fork Solomon River.... 58South Platte River....... - 43Spring City, Term... . . - 89Spring Creek.. 52,55Spring Valley Creek . 13Storage, Cagles Mill Reservoir, Ind 69

Cedar Bluff Reservoir, Kans. 59K-79 Reservoir, Colo..... _ - 77Lake Texoma, Tex_._. 18Rough River Reservoir, Ky. 89Smoky Hill Reservoir, Kans.. 59Tennessee.-- --- U

Tchoutacabouffa River basin 84 Temperatures.... 13,49Tennessee River basin_..... 6,9,92Terral, Okla...--------- - .... 41Terry Creek 75 Teton River basin.. - 49,50 Texas and adjacent States, floods of April-

June 18Thorn Creek at Glenwood. 111-. ._ 75

C98 INDEX

Toll Gate Creek.............................. C43Tradewater River basin___________. Trinity River basin....___________.Tug Fork_._________________. Tulsa, Okla.. ........._.___.___..__ 37,41Turkey Creek at Cofleeville, Miss____. Turkey Creek basin...........______.Twomile Reservoir, N. Mex________. Tygarts Creek basin____.________. Tyler, Minn__________________.

Vale, Oreg ... .-..--.-.________.Valley Park, Mo.._____________.Van Buren, Ark_______._....__ 30,37,38,41Verdigris River..__.______________ 40

near Inola.. . ......__.Vermillion River basin___________.

W

Wabash River.

?e 439121104171QA

01

7fin

1655414037 62

65

White River.... ____________

Wolf Creek

Y

Yankton, S. Dak.. ... ... ... ...Yazoo River basin.... ................

Page ... C65,67... .. 12 . 27 41_____ 41 .. 38... 37,40 72 59 15..... 89 65.. 47,65,80,93... 65- . 75........ 14 ..... 38

.... 71 60..... 71

o